C168

C168, C268 - Molecular Parasitology 
Fall Quarter, 2008


Dr. Simpson


Dr. Johnson

Description of course:

This course merges classical and modern parasitology. Molecular parasitology will be useful to both pre-medical students and those interested in basic problems in molecular and cell biology. In addition to their biomedical interest, the protozoal  parasites present excellent model systems for the analysis of basic biological phenomena such as gene regulation, molecular development, cell-cell interactions, molecular evolution, and novel biochemical pathways. A short list of the novel biological phenomena in protozoal parasites includes trans-splicing, lipid anchors of membrane proteins, RNA editing, regulation of expression mechanisms for drug resistance, description and analysis of the hydrogenosome, and the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis during the parasite life cycle.

There is no hard copy textbook for this course. Pdf files of all lectures will be posted, and for some lectures, original research papers will be utilized.  In addition, almost all lecture material can be found in more depth in the "Online Course in Molecular Parasitology". 

Lecture Schedule (Calendar)
(Dr. Simpson Sept. 25 - Oct. 23; Dr. Johnson, Oct. 30 - Dec. 4)

 
Sept. 25   -  Introduction to Protozoa and Parasites  (pdf)

What is Kuhn's  Scientific "Paradigm Shift?

"Who am I?" -  essay on symbiosis

 

Sept. 30 -  Chagas Disease: Trypanosoma cruzi -  Epidemiology and Pathogenesis (pdf)

Traveling in South America and Chagas Disease

Recent review on Chagas Disease

Chagas Disease in Mummies

Oct. 2 -   African Trypanosomiasis: Epidemiology and Life Cycle of Trypanosoma brucei    (pdf)

Chapter from New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers by Desowitz( pdf)

Eradication of tsetse flies

 Oct. 7 - African Trypanosomiasis: Pathogenesis and Gene Expression   (pdf)

Review of transcription in trypanosomes

Review of Antigenic Switching in trypanosomes

Trypanosome lytic factor - Excellent review of the apoLI-haptoglobin controversy

Construction of a therapeutic tool

 Oct. 9-  Leishmaniasis : Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Parasite Surface and Virulence Factors   (pdf)

Mini-review on Leishmaniasis

Visceral leishmaniasis: a trip to the Greek Islands is not always idyllic

Review of Galectin paper

Oct. 14 -  African trypanosomes: TriTryp Genomes and Cell and Molecular Biology of the Flagellum  (pdf)

2003 Review on flagellum by Keith Gull

Review on flagellum by Kent Hill

Review on TriTryp genomes -`1

Review on TriTryp Genomes -2

Oct. 16 - Kinetoplast DNA (pdf)

Review by Paul Englund

Personal  histories of some extant parasitologists

 

Oct. 21 - RNA Editing   (pdf)

Review of uridine insertion/deletion RNA editing

Paper on evolution of RNA editing

  

Oct. 23 -  World of Small RNAs: RNA interference, micro RNAs, snoRNAs   (pdf)

Oct. 28 -  First Exam

 

Dr. Johnson's lectures - web site

Some useful web links: