Principal Investigator: David Russell

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): 

My lab's role is to perform laser capture microdissection and transcriptional profiling of human tissues from patients who have died of cerebral malaria to determine the harmful reprograming that has been mediated by the malaria parasite. We will validate this transcriptional profile by immunohistology against key proteins and develop assays to transfer to Malawi to assess the inflammatory status of circulating phagocytes from severe malaria patients. We will also develop assays to allow the screening of known and experimental anti-inflammatories to reverse the tissue damaging phenotype on these cells in malaria patients.