Developing tools to identify immune cells involved in parasitic disease

FUNDING: 9 weeks (full time, 37 hrs per week, £12.60 per hour, £700 consumables, £500 student accommodation bursary)
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LOCATION: York, UK
SUPERVISOR(S):

Helen Sanders, Dr. Cecile Crosnier, and Dr. James Hewitson, Dept. of Biology, York


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Parasitic worms cause long-lived infections that last many years in part because of their ability to manipulate immune cell function via immunomodulatory molecules. Identifying and neutralising these could potentially unleash the immune system and promote parasite expulsion. The Hewitson and Crosnier Labs research immune responses to schistosome parasites that infect hundreds of millions of people in low and middle income countries. The aim of this project is to develop a novel technology to identify parasitic worm-specific B cells. You will first mine existing antibody data from human and mouse to identify parasite proteins that elicit antibody response. You will then use molecular techniques (cloning, recombinant protein expression) to produce fluorescently-labelled versions of a subset of these parasite molecules and then test binding to B cells from infected individuals using flow cytometry. Your project will help pave the way in identifying antibodies that can neutralise the function of parasite immunomodulatory proteins. The student will gain a good understanding of immunoparasitology and have the chance to take part in larger experiments being carried out in our labs. Students will need to find their own accommodation and be expected to present their findings orally at a research day in York in September 2025.