News from our Lab

Malaria parasites must acquire essential nutrients, including pantothenate or vitamin B5, from their mosquito and human hosts to successfully complete their development. In published and ongoing studies, we have confirmed that manipulation of mosquito pantothenate stores can starve malaria parasites of this essential nutrient and be used as the basis of novel transmission blocking strategies. The two postdoctoral fellows on this project will complete studies in the Luckhart lab, in coordination with Dr. Mike Riehle and his team at the University of Arizona, to accomplish the aims of the project. A unique collaboration leverages expertise of colleagues at St. Jude Children’s Hospital to repurpose small molecule drug candidates that target mammalian pantothenate kinase, the rate-limiting enzyme in conversion of pantothenate to coenzyme A, for our studies in the highly invasive malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi. The aims of the project include biochemical and genetic strategies to manipulate mosquito pantothenate levels to

Amy Hernandez was recently awarded a 2023 USDA REEU summer internship. The internship provides $7,000 in support for her research project in our lab.

Amy’s project will focus on testing histaminergic and serotonergic signaling antagonists for effects on parasite infection and survival of Anopheles stephensi.

Amy will be working with Kevin Ochwedo, Nora Céspedes and Ronald Bentil on her project.

Emily Hernandez was recently awarded a 2023 USDA REEU summer internships. The internship provides $7,000 in support for her research project in our lab.

Emily’s project will focus on the effects of biogenic amines on thermotolerance of Anopheles stephensi.

Emily will be working with Kevin Ochwedo, Nora Céspedes and Ronald Bentil on her project.

Megan Dobson, a former undergraduate researcher in the lab, was awarded an assistantship from the Department of Biological Sciences to return in fall semester 2023 to start her MS in Biology in our lab.

Ed Lewis and Shirley Luckhart were profiled in a new story from the UI College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Nora Cespedes will present her research “IL-10 derived from mast cells protects intestinal barrier integrity during malaria and controls parasite transmission to Anopheles stephensi” at the 2022 American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene annual meeting from October 30 to November 3 in Seattle, WA. She will also co-chair the “Immune Response to Malaria” session with Dr. Andrea Berry of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Congratulations to Hannah Kaylor for being awarded a 2022 University of Idaho USDA REEU $1,000 research scholarship for her project in the Luckhart lab. She’s working with Nora Céspedes and Erinn Donnelly this summer on her project.

Congratulations to Abby Fellows for being awarded a 2022 University of Idaho USDA REEU $1,000 research scholarship for her project in the Luckhart lab. She’s working with Nora Céspedes and Erinn Donnelly this summer on her project.

Congratulations to Alexandria Adams for being awarded a 2022 University of Idaho USDA REEU $1,000 research scholarship for her project in the Luckhart lab. She’ll be starting her project in fall 2022 with Taylor Coles.

Raquel Simão Gurge was recently selected as the new Manager of the Integrated Data Analysis Core (IDAC) facility for the UI Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation (IMCI). As IDAC manager, Raquel will provide technical expertise, service and training to users of IDAC equipment (flow cytometry and sorting, microscopy, digital PCR, etc.) and will use her substantial skills and knowledge of biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology to establish new users and engagement for new technology across campus, providing critical support for ongoing research programs that depend on these resources.