Tajie Harris, PhD
Tajie Harris, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience, was featured in Science Alert and Yahoo discussing her research into how brain immune cells prevent a common parasite from spreading.
Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that infects approximately one-third of the world’s population. A new study from the University of Virginia reveals that brain immune cells can stop Toxoplasma gondii by killing themselves. In lab mice, infected T cells triggered programmed cell death, preventing the parasite from spreading.
Improved toxoplasmosis treatments could be developed based on this new information. “Understanding how the immune system fights Toxoplasma is important for several reasons,” says Harris. “People with compromised immune systems are vulnerable to this infection, and now we have a better understanding of why and how we can help patients fight this infection.”
Read full article at Science Alert.
Filed Under: Media Highlights