Interactions between the protozoan parasite toxoplasma gondii and the antigen presentation pathways in the host cell

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Toxoplasmosis is an infection due to Toxoplasma gondii, which is a unicellular parasite that can grow within any cell of any warm-blooded vertebrate host and is a major global zoonotic pathogen. This parasite is not only an important pathogen with enormous sociocultural and economical impact in Canada (major source of food contamination in meat industry, water contamination, children infected in utero), but also a biological system with great potential and a model for several aspects of intracellular parasitism. Our goal is to understand how Toxoplasma stimulates and interferes with the immune response in its vertebrate hosts. Using a multidisciplinary approach of cell biology, genetics and immunology, we focus on the isolation of parasite and host factors that interact and ultimately influence the outcome of the infection. We will use genetic approaches to generate parasites that are impaired and unable to establish a normal infection in their host, and then locate the mutation responsible for the defect. This will allow us to identify important parasite factors that are required for infection. These molecules will then be characterized: we will study their properties, their localization in the parasite or in the host, and we will determine potential interacting molecules in physiological conditions in live host cells. By characterizing the interaction of host and parasite proteins, we can (i) gain knowledge on how the parasite manipulates the host, and how the host reacts; (ii) increase our chances for innovation not only for research on Toxoplasma and intracellular organisms, but also for numerous biology, biochemistry and immunology studies; (iii) train high quality students; (iv) develop new technologies and patentable products; (v) ultimately bring sociocultural and economical benefits to Canada and other countries.