B. Vojtkova

Steppe lemmings and Chinese hamsters as new potential animal models for the study of the leishmania subgenus Mundinia (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae)

This study identifies Chinese hamsters and Steppe lemmings as new animal models for studying Mundinia Leishmania species, showing susceptibility and infectiousness to sand flies.

Discovery of essential kinetoplastid-insect adhesion proteins and their function in Leishmania-sand fly interactions

The paper identifies kinetoplastid-insect adhesion proteins (KIAPs) involved in Leishmania-sand fly interactions and shows their role in adhesion and colonization.

Formation and three-dimensional architecture of Leishmania adhesion in the sand fly vector

This study uses 3D electron microscopy to analyze the structure and adhesion mechanisms of Leishmania haptomonads in sand flies, identifying key stages and the role of calcium in attachment.

Leishmania allelic selection during experimental sand fly infection correlates with mutational signatures of oxidative DNA damage

This study identifies oxidative DNA damage signatures in Leishmania donovani during sand fly infection, linking them to allelic and haplotype selection through genomic analysis.

Experimental evolution reveals post-transcriptional regulation as a novel driver of Leishmania fitness gain

This study shows that post-transcriptional regulation, not just genome instability, drives fitness gain in Leishmania parasites during in vitro adaptation.

Systematic functional analysis of Leishmania protein kinases identifies regulators of differentiation or survival

The paper systematically analyzes Leishmania protein kinases to identify those regulating differentiation and survival across life cycle stages.

Characterization of a new Leishmania major isolate for use in a controlled human infection model

This paper isolates and characterizes a new Leishmania major strain for use in controlled human infection models to advance vaccine development.