Extracellular Vesicles in Host-Parasite Interaction

Speaker:

Peter Nejsum, Professor

Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark

Department of Infectious Diseases, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark

Date and Time:

Tue 12/3/2024 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM  

Zoom Link:

https://zoom.us/j/93774710398?pwd=XQSY4Fh5ekdkVt5Mx2xaQMScjG4ej4.1 

Peter Nejsum is a Professor at the Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Denmark. He is a trained biologist from Aarhus University and obtained his PhD in Molecular Parasitology from the University of Copenhagen in 2009. Following a 3-year postdoctoral fellowship, he was appointed Associate Professor, until 2016, when he joined Aarhus University as Professor of Immune Modulation.

His research focuses on host-pathogen interactions, particularly helminth-induced immunomodulation. Professor Nejsum investigates the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in shaping the host immune response and explores the therapeutic potential of pathogen-derived EVs for treating inflammatory conditions. Additionally, he aims to engineer mammalian cells to produce anti-inflammatory EVs as innovative drug delivery systems. His work also examines the diagnostic potential of EVs in pathogen infections. His research has been supported by competitive national and international grants, and since 2005, he has published over 125 peer-reviewed articles in leading international journals. Professor Nejsum is also committed to engaging with the public to disseminate his research findings.

Extracellular Vesicles in Host-Parasite Interaction

Helminths are parasitic worms that often cause chronic infection by releasing excretory/secretory products that modulate the host’s immune response. Research, including work by Professor Nejsum’s team, has shown that extracellular vesicles (EVs) are part of these secretions. To understand their role in host-parasite interaction, EV content has been profiled, revealing microRNAs and proteins essential for parasite survival. Functional studies indicate that EVs play diverse roles depending on the parasite species: