Parasites that attack the especially vulnerable are subject of new GRA Distinguished Investigator's research

Boris Striepen’s research can lead to the development of new drugs to treat parasitic diseases             

Boris Striepen

The Universtiy of Georgia  today announced that Boris Striepen, who studies AIDS-associated parasites, has been named a Georgia Research Alliance Distinguished Investigator. His appointment is part of a GRA initiative to recruit, retain and support top scientists who conduct research in next-generation vaccines and therapeutics.

According to the UGA news release, the parasites that are the focus of Striepen’s research can cause severe disease in infants, small children and individuals with weakened immune symptoms, such as those suffering from AIDS. The Striepen laboratory uses modern genetic approaches to investigate the unique biology of these parasites in an effort to identify specific targets for intervention.

“Boris has been instrumental in developing UGA’s Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases into one of the world’s premier centers for the study of parasitic diseases of humans, “ said Rick Tarleton, Distinguished Research Professor in the department of cellular biology. “His insights into the metabolism and basic cell biology of apicomplexan parasites that kill millions of people each year are translational and will lead to the development of new drugs. The GRA could not have chosen a more deserving candidate for this honor.”