Research at the Institute of Parasitology
focuses on the interaction between host and parasitic disease organisms with a view to controlling infection by these organisms. Many different perspectives brought by the staff provide a unique opportunity to examine aspects of infection ranging from the cellular mechanisms which govern this process, the immune response of the host, immunosuppression mechanisms used by parasites to assist infection and the epidemiology of parasitic diseases.There are currently 11 research labs at the Institute of Parasitology. There are also 6 research labs in other parts of the University that are affiliated with the Institute. You can find out more about each of the research programs by visiting the web pages of our Faculty Members.
We study a wide variety of parasites including: Protozoa Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Giardia, Cryptosporidia; Digenia Schistosoma, Fasciola and nematodes Heligmosomoides polygyrus, Haemonchus contortus, Cooperia onchophora, Onchocerca volvulus, Brugia pahangi, as well as the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans; we use animal and human tissue culture and animal models to study host-parasite interactions.
