Pascale Guiton

"The main question of my research program is ‘how does Toxoplasma initiate infection in a new host."

"Part of that is asking ‘what are the molecular mechanisms that the parasite uses to interact with the gastrointestinal tract."

"Toxoplasma can infect orally using two forms, the product of sexual reproduction (the oocyst) that eventually sporulate to produce infectious sporozoites."

"I am focusing on bradyzoites because sporozoites are highly infectious."

"With bradyzoites, we can look at them in vitro and in mice and they can be easily deactivated."

"We are tackling this main question from several different angles."

"By trying to identify novel virulence determinants that are required specifically for that first stage of infection."

"We want to understand how Toxoplasma goes from a metabolically fast form (tachyzoite, during the acute phase of infection) where it divides rapidly, to a ‘slow’ form (bradyzoite) that divides slowly and is present during chronic infection."

"During this lifecycle, Toxoplasma also undergoes transcriptional changes."

"I am also looking at the transcriptional regulation in the parasite and how this affects its metabolism and virulence."

"I am collaborating with Professor Scott Roy at San Francisco State, an evolutionary biologist, who is interested in alternative splicing, and he is trying to find unique splicing features of Toxoplasma."

"Another feature of Toxoplasma is the presence of specialized secretory organelles (micronemes, rhoptries and dense granules) found in the apical complex."

"How proteins are trafficked to these organelles is not known, and is something we also hope to uncover."

"We have become interested in understanding the interactions of Toxoplasma with mucus."

"When you ingest Toxoplasma, it has to get through the microbiota, cross the mucous layer, get to the epithelium, cross the epithelium, find its way into the blood."

"I never really paused and thought about the impact of mucus on that initial infection until I taught immunology."

"I'm interested in looking at the interaction of Toxoplasma with goblet cells."

"We just started this project, which I am very excited about."

"I am not very focused and have lots of questions, but I now have teams of undergraduate students working on each of these questions."

"Being at an undergraduate institution, I don't see my science as ‘I need to get data."

"I need to publish’ but more as an extension of my teaching."

"In a way the techniques we use are a bit more basic and the students need to learn how to perform them."

"If we need to make some knockout lines, I have to teach them about bacterial growth, aseptic technique, PCR, gel electrophoresis, CRISPR-Cas9."

"I enjoy that, and it's about reinforcing the students' skills and getting the data is almost a result of the students learning those things."

"There are obviously risks with this approach, and the progress can be slow well it is slow."

"I find teaching science and how to do it so rewarding that this is my primary focus."

"My approach to effective teaching and learning is akin to manoeuvring a railway handcar whereby both learner and teacher work as partners in an environment conducive to learning."

"I strongly believe that with the active participation of both individuals."

"My primary objective is to fully engage my students so that they can acquire these values and skills that transcend degree requirements."

"They are lifelong proficiencies applicable to other aspects of their lives."

"I always say if I had to do it all over again, I would be a marine microbiologist."

"It's fascinating how we or rather I know so little about microorganisms in the oceans or their interactions with sea creatures."