Evasion of host immune responses
The malaria parasite P. falciparum undergoes antigenic variation to evade host immune responses through switching expression of variant surface proteins encoded by the var gene family. There are approximately 60 var genes in each P. falciparum genome and they encode the erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1).
PfEMP1 is expressed at the surface of infected erythrocytes and mediates binding to receptors on host cells. To avoid clearance by anti-PfEMP1 antibodies, P. falciparum can change the variant form of PfEMP1 expressed on the erythrocyte by activating a different var gene in the genome. This process of antigenic variation underpins the chronicity and virulence of this parasite and our work is aimed at understanding the regulation of var gene silencing and activation. See below for some of our recent publications in this area.
PfEMP1 and knob structure on the surface 
of a parasitised red blood cell
