A5073777631- Viral-associated cancers and disorders
- Malaria Research and Control
- Lymphoma Diagnosis and Treatment
- Immune Cell Function and Interaction
- Mosquito-borne diseases and control
- Complement system in diseases
- T-cell and B-cell Immunology
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Parasites and Host Interactions
- HIV Research and Treatment
- Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
- vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
- COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
- Cytomegalovirus and herpesvirus research
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Hepatitis B Virus Studies
- RNA modifications and cancer
- Viral Infections and Outbreaks Research
- COVID-19 Impact on Reproduction
- T-cell and Retrovirus Studies
- Eosinophilic Disorders and Syndromes
- SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
2016-2025
Center for Global Health
2005-2021
Kenya Medical Research Institute
2007-2021
Institute of Molecular Medicine
2017
Case Western Reserve University
2004-2013
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
2011
GTx (United States)
2011
University of Massachusetts Boston
2011
Cornell University
2005-2009
University of Minnesota
2009
Plasmodium falciparum parasites that are resistant to artemisinins have been detected in Southeast Asia. Resistance is associated with several polymorphisms the parasite's K13-propeller gene. The molecular epidemiology of these artemisinin resistance genotypes African parasite populations unknown. We developed an assay quantify rare uses a pooled deep-sequencing approach score allele frequencies, validated it by evaluating mixtures laboratory strains, and then used screen P. from >1100...
In the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, many individuals experience prolonged symptoms, termed long-lasting symptoms (long COVID). Long COVID is thought to be linked immune dysregulation due harmful inflammation, with exact causes being unknown. Given role of microbiome in mediating we aimed examine relationship between oral and duration long symptoms. Tongue swabs were collected from patients presenting Confirmed infections followed until resolution all Bacterial composition was...
Malaria infections during pregnancy can lead to the delivery of low-birth-weight infants. In this study, cytokine mRNA was measured in placentas from 23 malaria-infected and 21 uninfected primigravid women who had delivered Mangochi, Malawi, a region with high rate transmission falciparum malaria. Significantly increased expression interleukin (IL)—1β, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)—α decreased IL-6 transforming growth factor-β1 were found compared placentas. TNF-α IL-8 produced by...
Perennial and intense malaria transmission (holoendemic malaria) Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are 2 cofactors in the pathogenesis of endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL). In present study, we compared EBV loads children living regions Kenya with differing intensities: Kisumu District, where is holoendemic, Nandi sporadic. For comparison, blood samples were also obtained from US adults, Kenyan patients eBL. Extraction DNA quantification by polymerase chain reaction give an load estimate that...
The allelic and haplotypic diversity of the HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C loci was investigated in 852 subjects from five sub-Saharan populations Kenya (Nandi Luo), Mali (Dogon), Uganda, Zambia. Distributions genotypes at all fit Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations. There not a single allele predominant any these populations, with exception A*3002 [allele frequency (AF) = 0.233] Zambians Cw*1601 (AF 0.283) Malians. This distribution consistent balancing selection for class I which evidenced by...
(See the editorial commentary by Bagni and Whitby, on pages 873–4.) Background. Infection with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) early in life repeated malaria exposure have been proposed as risk factors for endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL). Methods. Infants were enrolled from 2 rural sites Kenya: Kisumu District, where transmission is holoendemic eBL high, Nandi limited low. Blood samples taken infants through years of age to measure EBV viral load, antibodies, parasitemia. Results. We observed a...
Endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL) is the most common pediatric cancer in malaria-endemic equatorial Africa and nearly always contains Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), unlike sporadic (sBL) that occurs with a lower incidence developed countries. Given these differences variable clinical presentation outcomes, we sought to further understand pathogenesis by investigating transcriptomes using RNA sequencing (RNAseq) from multiple primary eBL tumors compared sBL tumors. Within tumors, minimal expression...
Abstract The C-terminal 19-kDa fragment of Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein-1 (MSP-119) is a target protective Abs against blood-stage infection and leading candidate for inclusion in human malaria vaccine. However, the precise role, relative importance, mechanism action that this protein remain unclear. To examine potential role to MSP-119 individuals naturally exposed malaria, we conducted treatment time study over 10-wk period 76 residents highland area western Kenya during...
High levels of antibodies to multiple antigens may be more strongly associated with protection from infection than a single antigen. Antibody-associated against Plasmodium falciparum was assessed in cohort 68 adults living an area holoendemic malaria Kenya. Antibodies the pre-erythrocytic circumsporozoite protein (CSP), liver-stage antigen-1 (LSA-1), thrombospondin-related adhesive (TRAP), and blood-stage apical membrane (AMA-1), erythrocyte binding antigen-175 (EBA-175), merozoite surface 1...
Immunoglobulin G antibodies (Abs) to Plasmodium falciparum antigens have been associated with naturally acquired immunity symptomatic malaria.We probed protein microarrays covering 824 unique P. features plasma from residents of a community in Kenya monitored for 12 weeks (re)infection and malaria after administration antimalarial drugs. proteins recognized by Abs 88 children (aged 1-14 years) 86 adults ≥ 18 years), measured at the beginning observation period, were ranked Ab signal...
Outbreaks of arthropod-borne viral infections occur periodically across Kenya. However, limited surveillance takes place during interepidemic periods. Using serum samples obtained from asymptomatic persons Kenya in 2000–2004, we assessed (by indirect immunofluorescent assay) prevalence IgG against yellow fever virus (YFV), West Nile (WNV), tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV), dengue serotypes 1–4 (DENV1-4), and chikungunya (CHIKV). Older on the Indian Ocean coast were more likely to be...
Natural Killer (NK) cells play an essential role in antiviral and anti-tumoral immune responses. In peripheral blood, NK are commonly classified into two major subsets: CD56brightCD16neg CD56dimCD16pos despite the characterization of a CD56negCD16pos subset 25 years ago. Since then, several studies have described prevalence cell viral non-controllers as basis for their dysfunction. However, mechanistic cytotoxic impairment is unclear. Recently, using strict flow cytometry gating strategy to...
Summary Endemic Burkitt’s lymphoma (BL) is the most common paediatric malignancy in equatorial Africa and was originally shown to occur at high‐incidence rates regions where malaria transmission holoendemic. New ecological models of that are based on both parasite prevalence disease have been described. In this study, we examined district level data collected from BL cases Kenya 1988 through 1997 assessed whether distribution incidence could be explained by new ecologic estimates risk....
Background. Malaria and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection are cofactors in the pathogenesis of endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL). The mechanisms by which these pathogens predispose to eBL not known.
Abstract Endemic Burkitt's lymphoma (eBL), the most common childhood cancer in sub‐Saharan Africa, occurs at a high incidence western Kenya, region that also experiences holoendemic malaria. Holoendemic malaria has been identified as co‐factor etiology of this cancer. We hypothesized eBL may cluster spatially within region. Medical records for all cases diagnosed from 1999 through 2004 Nyanza Provincial General Hospital were reviewed case residential information to examine hypothesis. Two...
Background. IgG antibodies to pre-erythrocytic antigens are involved in prevention of infection and disease animal models malaria but have not been associated with protection against human malaria. Methods. Levels circumsporozoite protein (CSP), liver-stage antigen type 1 (LSA-1), thrombospondin-related adhesive (TRAP) were measured 86 children a malaria-holoendemic area Kenya. The then monitored for episodes clinical 52 weeks. Results. Children high levels CSP, LSA-1, TRAP had decreased...
Background Antibodies that impair Plasmodium falciparum merozoite invasion and intraerythrocytic development are one of several mechanisms mediate naturally acquired immunity to malaria. Attempts correlate anti-malaria antibodies with risk infection morbidity have yielded inconsistent results. Growth inhibition assays (GIA) offer a convenient method quantify functional antibody activity against blood stage Methods A treatment-time-to-infection study was conducted over 12-weeks in malaria...
SeroNet institutions have developed or implemented 61 diverse COVID-19 serological assays and are collaboratively working to harmonize these using reference materials establish standardized reporting units. This will facilitate clinical interpretation of serology results cross-comparison research data.