Research Program
The thrust of the Centre’s research is to understand how parasites and hosts interact in order to provide basic knowledge for the design of better vaccines or drugs to control parasitic diseases and to develop new methods to improve diagnosis of infection. The two broad key aims of the Centre are to conduct leading edge research on parasitic diseases by studying the MECHANISMS OF PATHOGENESIS AND HOST DEFENSE and the MOLECULAR BASIS OF DRUG RESISTANCE AND DRUG TARGET DISCOVERY. The Centre also conducts research in a number of other areas including epidemiology and development of improved methods for diagnosis.
Specific areas of research include: chemotherapy and biochemistry of drug targets, mechanisms of drug action and drug resistance, genetics, proteomics, immunology including pathogenesis, host defense and effector mechanisms, immune evasion/ suppression, vaccines, nutritional effects, zoonotic infections, epidemiology and diagnosis.
The major aims of the Centre are to:
- conduct research to understand the host-parasite relationship at the molecular level with the aim of developing new therapies and diagnostic tests.
- to train highly qualified personnel at the MSc/ PhD/Postdoctoral level
- to provide opportunities for cross-Centre collaborations
- to promote Quebec science through trainee presentations at national/international conferences
- to provide opportunities for trainees and members to interact with leading scientists through invitations to our annual meeting