Capabilities Spotlight: Molecular Parasitology Lab

About the Lab

At the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Molecular Parasitology Lab, a team of full-time researchers – joined by graduate and undergraduate students working under the direction of Dr. Paul Davis – investigate parasitic infections with a focus on developing new medical interventions.

Molecular parasitology is the study of parasites and the interactions within their hosts. By combining approaches in chemistry, cell biology and genomics this discipline hopes to find more effective mechanisms for combatting diseases often acquired from international travel.

"Understanding parasitic infections, securing scientific breakthroughs, and developing treatments for these global viruses is not only valuable medical work—but is mission-critical for national security."

While researching a variety of pathogens, the lab keeps constant focus in one key area: tropical infectious diseases and their close cousins. Most notably, researchers are trained on finding an effective treatment for two parasites—Toxoplasma gondii and Schistosoma mansoni.

While Dr. Davis’ team is hard at work researching infectious disease and preparing the next generation of researchers, the lab is also supporting the National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) in developing the most advanced technology to secure our globe.

Dr. Davis noted that his lab is focused on developing countermeasures for these tropical diseases. “What we have found is that once you get a good lead on an intervention, you can work to see if it’s effective against a broader range of these neglected tropical diseases.”

A Commitment to Education

Aside from groundbreaking research powered by innovative machinery, the UNO Molecular Parasitology Lab features another impressive capacity—student researchers.

At present, the lab is home to eight student researchers, who work alongside full-time faculty and staff. Dr. Davis said, “The lab’s focus has always been to take talented, capable, but untrained undergraduates, and expose them to biomedical research early in their career.”

“Regardless of what career our students go into—whether they’re supporting national security, going off to be a physician or becoming a biomedical scientist—they have a firm foundation for how to do science that leads them closer to clinical application.”

This commitment isn’t anything new for Dr. Davis, who has an established background in academia, health education and leadership within the professional community.

Dr. Paul Davis joined the UNO Biology Department in 2010 and holds a faculty appointment in the College of Medicine at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. He serves as an adviser to molecular and biomedical biology students, director of the UNO Health Careers Resources Center and director of the Omaha Area Health Education Center.

For his service, he has been the recipient of the University of Nebraska Regents Professorship, the UNO Campus Distinguished Professorship, the UNO Distinguished Research Award and more.

Size and Scope of the Lab’s Research

Tropical infectious diseases are those that travelers and military personnel get when visiting tropical countries. These regions pose an increased risk for a variety of infectious diseases, which can be particularly dangerous or disabling for our overseas warfighters. Risks can be vector borne—diseases transmitted from mosquitos and bats—and those that come from unsanitary conditions, like contaminated drinking water and food.

“In the United States, we place an emphasis on diseases like cancer and heart disease. As a nation, we put a lot of time, effort, and resources towards discovering interventions in these areas. However, for those that contract exotic diseases, access to necessary treatments is often limited and, in some cases, unavailable.”

Dr. Davis noted that his lab is focused on developing countermeasures for these tropical diseases. “What we have found is that once you get a good lead on an intervention, you can work to see if it’s effective against a broader range of these neglected tropical diseases.”

The Power of Parasites

The UNO Molecular Parasitology Lab is focused on multiple parasites at any given time, with eight to nine projects in its current workflow. At the top of that list are two parasites that receive the most federal attention: Toxoplasma gondii and Schistosoma mansoni.

Toxoplasma gondii (or T. gondii) is a parasitic infection that can be contracted from infected meats, unwashed vegetables and contact with cat feces. While there are minimal options for medical intervention at this point, it remains a prevalent infection.

“Toxoplasma gondii is a parasite that about one-third of all adults in the United States and in the world have.”

While infection isn’t necessarily fatal, it can cause complications in what Dr. Davis refers to as ‘corner cases.’ For example, if you get it while pregnant, it can lead to loss of pregnancy, or in many cases, a severely affected child.

Dr. Davis said, “T. gondii is one of the leading causes of birth defects in the United States and in the world. There’s no way to get rid of it or treat it well. There’s no FDA approved way to treat it while pregnant. There’s no vaccine for it.” Importantly, the organism is closely related to the parasite which causes malaria, a major parasitic killer globally. The hope is that interventions capable of treating T. gondii will also have efficacy against the malaria parasite.

Schistosoma mansoni causes schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worm that is contracted through contact with contaminated fresh water sources commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Although the worms that cause schistosomiasis are not found in the United States, people are infected worldwide. In terms of impact, this disease is second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease.

UNO’s Molecular Parasitology lab is working to improve the current remedy for this parasite. As of now, treatments available require multiple doses be administered over the course of more than one week. Dr. Davis and his team are working with collaborators at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and internationally to develop a compound toward drug readiness—existing as a single-dose intervention.

Schistosoma mansoni causes schistosomiasis, a disease caused by parasitic worm that is contracted through contact with contaminated fresh water sources commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions. Although the worms that cause schistosomiasis are not found in the United States, people are infected worldwide. In terms of impact, this disease is second only to malaria as the most devastating parasitic disease.

UNO’s Molecular Parasitology lab is working to improve the current remedy for this parasite. As of now, treatments available require multiple doses be administered over the course of more than one week. Dr. Davis and his team are working with collaborators at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and internationally to develop a compound toward drug readiness—existing as a single-dose intervention.

UNO and the National Strategic Research Institute

The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) is one of 13 University Affiliated Research Corporations (UARCS) across the country. A UARC is a strategic United States Department of Defense (DoD) research center associated with a university. UARCs were formally established in May 1996 to ensure that essential engineering and technology capabilities of particular importance to the DoD are maintained.

A unique extension of the University of Nebraska System’s work, NSRI is committed to providing mission-essential research and development capabilities for the United States Strategic Command—as well as other Department of Defense entities and federal agencies focused on national security.

The lingering question: What interest does NSRI have in UNO’s Molecular Parasitology Lab? Developing remedies to these parasites not only protects our nation’s military but supports the efficacy of U.S. work abroad.

“The reason that our research is useful to NSRI—the Department of Defense is one of the biggest backers of tropical infectious disease research. The United States deploys a workforce that has to be active and engageable all the time, regardless of conditions.”

Dr. Davis said, “The U.S. military branches continue to be concerned with globally distributed diseases such as malaria, hantavirus, zika virus and coronavirus. The goal is to help make sure that we’re doing our best against some of these emerging infectious diseases and developing effective and well-tolerated countermeasures.”