In Dr. Touz’s laboratory, the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the survival of the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia are studied. One of her lines of research addresses the characterization of extracellular vesicles of different strains and their role in pathogenesis, antiparasitic resistance, and antigenic variation. Another project is to evaluate a library of medications already approved for use in humans, to identify effective and fast-acting giardicide compounds. Both projects have great potential to overcome the challenges of drug resistance and provide more efficient treatments for giardiasis patients.
COMPETITIVE RESEARCH FUNDS
In progress as PI:
- 2022-2026. FONCYT. PICT-2021-I-A-00056 I. Análisis del rol modulador de las vesículas extracelulares en la patogenia y la resistencia a antiparasitarios en Giardia lamblia. Directora.
- 2022-2024. FONCYT. PICT Aplicado tipo II 2021-73. Una Salud: Un abordaje integrador para el estudio de endoparasitosis y malnutrición en la provincia de Córdoba. Directora.
- 2020-2023. FONCYT. PICT 2018-0735. Efecto de moléculas con capacidad antimicrobiana en la sobrevida del parásito intestinal Giardia lamblia. Directora.
Completed as PI:
- 2018-2023. PICT 2017-2435 (A). FONCYT..
- 2016-2017. PIDRI. Córdoba MINCyT.
- 2014-2015. Secretary of Science and Technology of Córdoba.
- 2014-2018. PICT 2013-1122 (A). FONCYT.
- 2013-2015. PICT 2012-0276 (A). FONCYT.
- 2011-2013. PICT 2010-0737 (A). FONCYT.
- 2007-2012. Global Research Initiative Program. (NIH, USA).
- 2008-2010. PICT 2007-00698 (A). FONCYT.
- 2005-2006. PIP 2005. CONICET.
- 2006-2008. The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS, Italy).
- 2005-2007. PIP 6563. CONICET.
- 2005-2006. PICT 2004 (B). FONCYT.
PUBLICATIONS (LATEST FIVE YEARS)
Natali, L.; Luna Pizarro, G.; Moyano, S.; de la Cruz-Thea, B.; Musso, J.; Rópolo, A.S.; Eichner, N.; Meister, G.; Musri, M.M.; Feliziani, C.; Touz, M.C*. The Exosome-like Vesicles of Giardia Assemblages A, B, and E are Involved in the Delivering of Distinct Small RNA from Parasite to Parasite. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24, 9559. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24119559.
Constanza Feliziani, María Romina Rivero, Gonzalo Quassollo, Andrea Rópolo & María Carolina Touz*. Investigating How Clathrin-adaptor complex AP-2 Participates in Giardia lamblia Encystation. International Journal for Parasitology. 2022. 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.02.003.
María Romina Rivero, Constanza Feliziani, Carlos De Angelo, Karina Tiranti, Oscar Daniel Salomon; María Carolina Touz. Giardia spp., the most ubiquitous protozoan parasite in Argentina: human, animal and environmental surveys reported in the last 40 years. Parasitology Research. 2020 August 15. doi:10.1007/s00436-020-06853-7.
Moyano S, Musso J, Feliziani C, Zamponi N, Frontera LS, Rópolo AS, Lanfredi-Rangel A, Lalle M, Touz M*. Exosome Biogenesis in the Protozoa Parasite Giardia lamblia: A Model of Reduced Interorganellar Crosstalk. Cells. 2019 Dec 9;8(12). pii: E1600. doi: 10.3390/cells8121600.
Mayol GF, Revuelta MV, Salusso A, Touz MC, Rópolo AS. Evidence of nuclear transport mechanisms in the protozoan parasite Giardia lamblia. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2019 Jan;1867(1):118566. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2019.118566.
Rópolo AS, Feliziani C, Touz MC*. Unusual proteins in Giardia duodenalis and their role in survival. Adv Parasitol. 2019; 106:1-50. doi: 10.1016/bs.apar.2019.07.001. Review.
- Complete and updated list available here.
TEAM
