Molecular Pathogenesis and Biomarker Section Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology
NIAID
Mentor Name
Patricia A. Gonzales Hurtado, Ph.D.
Michal Fried, Ph.D.
Mentor Telephone
240-627-3556

Development of analysis pipeline for identification of biomarkers in p.falciparum infected plasma

The Molecular Pathogenesis and Biomarkers Section applies functional genomics and molecular immunoparasitology tools to understand malaria pathogenesis in naturally exposed individuals. Our goal is to identify malaria disease biomarkers and candidate vaccine antigens that may be useful in developing new interventions. Currently, we utilize high-resolution mass spectrometry to provide a chemical fingerprint of thousands of metabolites and proteins in plasma samples. This high-resolution metabolomics and proteomics approach could help us understand disease. We aim to continue developing a pipeline to analyze metabolites in plasmodium falciparum infected plasma from naturally exposed children in Mali. As well as continue implementing our pipeline for proteomics analysis. This work will involve utilizing high-resolution mass spectrometry, developing and integrating available bioinformatics tools as well as analyzing samples in untargeted and targeted metabolomics experiments.

The mentors will Patricia A. Gonzales Hurtado, PhD, staff scientist at LMIV and Michal Fried, PhD, principal investigator at LMIV.

BESIP Year