The Laboratory of Protozoan Parasite Nutrient Sensing
Projects
Trypanosome Hexokinase Biology

We are interested in the function of two nearly identical hexokinases in the African trypanosome. These protiens are critical to the parasite, as the trypanosome metabolizes only sugar in the mammalian bloodstream to satisfy its needs.
Probing organellar conditions in trypanosomes.
In collaboration with Kenneth Christensen at Brigham Young Universtiy, we have been developing probes to assess the pH, ATP, and glucose levels in living parasites using fluorescent probes.
This fictional bird hunts parasites, particularly the trypanosome
This fictional bird hunts parasites, particularly the trypanosome
Protozoan Hexokinase Inhibitors as Therapeutics?
Because sugar metabolism is important to many parasites, we have pursued inhibitors of the hexokinases as potential drug leads. We have completed or are in the process of completing high throughput screens for inhibitors of the African trypanosome hexokinase 1 and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum hexokinase This work has been done in collaboration with Elizabeth Sharlow at UVa, Mark Drew at Ohio State, Jennifer Golden at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and NCATS.
As inhibitors are identified, the structural requirements are refined by Jennifer Golden's medicinal chemistry group and tested against parasites.
