Introduction

We perform research on a broad range of parasites that have detrimental effects on human health world-wide. Broadly speaking, these eukaryotic pathogens fall into two major groups, the unicellular (protozoan) parasites, which include the causative agents of malaria, and the multicellular (metazoan) parasites, such as the trematode worms that cause schistosomiasis. Parasites are adept at evading the host immune response and long term chronic infections are often the outcome. These infections represent a major public health burden, and often occur in areas of the globe least able to deal with the associated economic consequences. In the developed world, parasitic infections are a major risk factor for immune-compromised individuals, such as those infected with HIV, or those undergoing anti-cancer chemotherapy.

Due to the severe pathologies that result from parasite infections, these diseases are a major focus of scientific and clinical research. At the Bloomsbury Research Institute, our primary strategy is to gain a better understanding of basic parasite biology and to apply this knowledge to drug development, vaccine design and new approaches to preventing transmission. This strategy is dependent on the close collaboration of a large number of biomedical scientists with expertise in a range of disciplines including genomics and genetic epidemiology, molecular biology, biochemistry and immunology. The close association between these laboratory-based researchers and those involved with disease control, diagnosis and clinical studies provides an ideal framework for the rapid translation of fundamental findings to the patient.