Shirley Luckhart, Ph.D.

Summary: My work for the past 29 years has focused on malaria. In particular, we have studied malaria parasite development and transmission in laboratory models and transmission of human malaria parasites in the lab and under field conditions in endemic countries. Currently, half of our work is focused on transmission biology in the mosquito host with the other half focused on host immunity and pathogenesis of malaria in model systems. My lab is recognized internationally for expertise in the biology of the blood feeding interface – that is, how factors in mammalian host blood (drugs, cytokines, parasite factors) influence parasite development and transmission to the mosquito host.

Minimum Classes: Helpful coursework includes introductory biology and introductory microbiology.

Projects: Projects for INBRE Summer Fellows can include aspects of funded projects on host-derived factors that drive malaria parasite development and transmission. Projects can also focus on developing novel interventions to block these processes for malaria control. Our lab employs a wide range of strategies to test hypotheses, including molecular cell biological analyses, flow cytometry, microscopy, analyses of protein function, genetic engineering, behavioral bioassays, cell culture and drug testing, studies of malaria parasite development and infection, and analyses of biomarkers of the host response to malaria.