The Parasite with Thousands of Disguises: How Trypanosomes Evade Immunity

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. David Horn, Chair of Parasite Molecular Biology at the University of Dundee in Scotland. We explore how Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness, manages to stay one step ahead of the immune system.

Dr. Horn explains the remarkable process of antigenic variation, where trypanosomes draw from thousands of surface-protein genes and fragments, continually changing their appearance and evading immune attacks. We also discuss his lab’s use of high-throughput genetic screens to uncover how these parasites regulate their genes, develop drug resistance, and survive inside their hosts.

We also look at the changing landscape of sleeping sickness treatment, from historically toxic drugs to acoziborole, a promising single-dose oral treatment that could play an important role in efforts to eliminate the disease.

Plus, Dr. Horn shares his path into parasitology, the value of unbiased discovery in science, and how he spends his time outside the lab cycling and exploring the Scottish countryside.