Our research program is focused on the study of the biology of parasitism and host-pathogen interactions using genomic approaches with the ultimate goal of better understanding infection and survival mechanisms. Our approach includes the development and application of molecular, computational and systems biology tools. In the long term, our research will contribute to better diagnosis, prevention and therapeutics of parasite- and bacteria-caused diseases in humans, animals and plants.

By effectively combining host and pathogen genome-wide transcriptome profiling with interspecies protein-protein interaction screens, our laboratory is beginning to address a need for a global approach to dissect the structural and functional genomics and proteomics of intracellular parasite infections. Our ongoing effort will provide a first look at the infectome, the part of a host cell’s genome and proteome that is important for infection by a pathogen as well as the part of the pathogen’s genome/proteome that allows it to subvert the functions of some host cell receptors, signaling proteins and molecular machinery.