{"id":2676,"date":"2022-09-22T09:50:57","date_gmt":"2022-09-22T08:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/lydia-becker-institute-blog\/?page_id=2676"},"modified":"2022-09-22T09:51:33","modified_gmt":"2022-09-22T08:51:33","slug":"parasite-immunology-case-study","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/lydia-becker-institute\/research\/pathogens-parasites-and-commensals\/parasite-immunology-case-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Parasite immunology case study"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” fullwidth=”on” next_background_color=”#000000″ global_module=”322″][et_pb_fullwidth_menu global_parent=”322″ _builder_version=”3.0.106″ menu_id=”7″ submenu_direction=”downwards” fullwidth_menu=”off” background_layout=”dark” module_class=”main-navigation” \/][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”off” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”off” custom_padding=”||0px|” prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row allow_player_pause=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” use_custom_gutter=”off” make_equal=”off” custom_margin=”||0px|” custom_padding=”||0px|” module_class=”breadcrumbs-row” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Breadcrumbs (do not remove)” background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” use_border_color=”off” border_color=”#ffffff” border_style=”solid” module_class=”breadcrumbs” custom_css_main_element=”border-bottom: 1px solid #ececed;” module_alignment=”left” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”]<\/p>\nLydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”off” specialty=”on” transparent_background=”off” allow_player_pause=”off” inner_shadow=”off” parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on” parallax_1=”off” parallax_method_1=”off” parallax_2=”off” parallax_method_2=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” make_equal=”off” use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”2″ prev_background_color=”#ffffff” next_background_color=”#1d1d1d”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Left Nav Sidebar” area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ orientation=”left” remove_border=”on” background_layout=”light” module_id=”left-nav-menu” show_border=”off” \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ specialty_columns=”2″][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row”][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.17.6″]<\/p>\n

Parasite immunology case study<\/h1>\n

Defining the interdependence between helminths, host and commensals.<\/p>\n

The problem<\/h2>\n

The gastrointestinal tract harbours the highest number and density of microorganisms in the body – the commensal microbiota. It is widely accepted that this underpins health at multiple levels.<\/p>\n

Infection by gastrointestinal dwelling helminths is commonplace and long lived in both man and animals across the planet. It is not surprising therefore, that intestinal parasite infection alters the intestinal microbiota.<\/p>\n

However, the functional relationships between parasite, host immunity and commensal and the consequences of these interactions upon health remain to be discovered and defined.<\/p>\n

An understanding of the functional interplay between this triad will identify mechanistic pathways that underpin parasite survival, host immunity and commensal population dynamics, ultimately leading to the development of smart therapeutics.<\/p>\n

The work<\/h2>\n

Using well-defined laboratory models of intestinal nematode infection, we have defined the changes that occur in the microbiota during acute, chronic and repeated infection.<\/p>\n

We have also discovered that, for some helminths, successful infection itself is dependent upon the presence of an intestinal microbiota. Intriguingly, some intestinal helminths contain their own intestinal microbiota and are dependent upon it.<\/p>\n

Underpinned by our germ-free\/gnotobiotic facility, we are:<\/p>\n