Dr Nicola Baker

Profile

Research

Overview

How do Leishmania sense pH and temperature change?

Survival of parasites depends on their ability to sense changes in their surroundings and adapt appropriately. Humans detect pH and temperature information through multiple methods, including G-protein coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. These are absent across many vector borne parasites and therefore way in which they detect changes in surroundings remains poorly understood. Leishmania experience extreme and rapid changes in pH and temperature, providing an excellent model to investigate this question.

Protein kinases are central to signalling messages in cells. We aim to investigate the role of these in detection of pH and temperature changes, and to use these pathways to identify the mechanisms of detection.