G. Matlashewski

Leishmania mexicana Centrin Knock out Parasites Promote M1-polarizing Metabolic Changes

This study shows that Leishmania mexicana centrin knockout parasites induce M1-polarizing metabolic changes through enhanced pentose phosphate pathway activity, promoting pro-inflammatory responses.

Centrin-deficient Leishmania mexicana confers protection against Old World visceral leishmaniasis

This study shows that centrin-deficient L. mexicana parasites protect against Old World visceral leishmaniasis in a hamster model by reducing parasite burden and altering cytokine responses.

Skin resident memory cells generated by the L. major centrin gene deleted parasites mediate protective immune response analogous to leishmanization

This study shows that a genetically modified Leishmania vaccine generates skin-resident memory T cells that provide protection similar to leishmanization.

Evidence that interspecies Leishmania hybrids contribute to changes in disease pathology

This study identifies interspecies Leishmania hybrids in Sri Lanka that may explain atypical cutaneous leishmaniasis, suggesting hybridization contributes to disease pathology changes.

Preclinical validation of a second generation leishmanization vaccine against vector transmitted fatal visceral leishmaniasis

This study evaluates the protective efficacy of a CRISPR-edited Leishmania major strain against visceral leishmaniasis in hamsters and shows it induces a pro-inflammatory immune response and prevents disease.

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.

A Second Generation Leishmanization Vaccine with a Markerless Attenuated Leishmania major Strain using CRISPR gene editing

This paper describes a CRISPR-edited Leishmania major strain for a second-generation leishmanization vaccine that is marker-free and safe, showing protection in mice comparable to traditional leishmanization.

The hunger games: sensing host arginine is essential for Leishmania parasite virulence

This study shows that Leishmania parasites use an arginine sensing mechanism to enhance virulence by up-regulating arginine transport during infection.