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Parasitology Lab
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A lab that explores the mechanisms of parasitism through the gene function and artificial chromosomes of the malaria parasite.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding the parasitic cell.
The Parasitology Lab studies Plasmodium, the malaria parasite that causes malaria, one of the three major infectious diseases, from the standpoint of basic biology.
Unlike viruses and bacteria, the malaria parasite is a eukaryote, like us.
The lab aims to understand its survival strategy at the molecular level through the mechanisms of gene expression, and to find its weaknesses.
Using next-generation sequencer analysis and CRISPR/Cas9, and moving between medicine and basic biology, the lab aims for results that contribute to malaria control.
On the lab's website, it is introduced as the "Iwanaga Lab, Division of Molecular Protozoology" of the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases.
Key terms
- Centromere
- The region on a chromosome to which the "rope" of the tug-of-war attaches when chromosomes are distributed to daughter cells during cell division. Each chromosome has one
- Transcription factor
- A molecule that binds to a sequence upstream of a gene and regulates gene expression
- Artificial chromosome
- DNA assembled with a centromere, telomeres, and origins of replication so that it functions like a real chromosome
NewsLab news
A paper by Prof. Iwanaga and colleagues was published in Parasitology International
A paper by Prof. Iwanaga and colleagues was published in Nature
Project Assistant Professor Mai Nakajima received the Outstanding Academic Award at the fiscal 2023 Research Achievements Presentation
A master's student received a poster award
ResearchResearch themes
The lab aims to understand, from the standpoint of gene function, how the malaria parasite parasitizes and multiplies inside humans and mosquitoes. It combines advanced genetic engineering techniques with large-scale gene analysis using next-generation sequencers. The description on the research page dates from around 2020.
*Illustrative imageArtificial chromosomes of the malaria parasite
The lab found that the centromere on each parasite chromosome is extremely short, under 3 kbp. Taking advantage of this shortness, it assembled an artificial chromosome of about 8 kbp and showed that it functions like a real parasite chromosome.
*Illustrative imageRegulation of stage-specific gene expression
In collaboration with Mie University, the lab is investigating how the parasite uses different genes at each stage of its growth. It has identified the AP2 family as the transcription factors responsible for this regulation, and is now focusing on the relationship between AP2 and epigenetic regulation.
*Illustrative imageBuilding an artificial malaria parasite
Combining the artificial chromosome technology with results on simple transcriptional regulation, the lab aims to create an artificially designed malaria parasite. It has succeeded in developing technology to synthesize genomes in yeast and technology to transplant a synthetic genome into the parasite.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Parasitology Lab consist of faculty, project researchers, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, project technical staff, and administrative assistants.As of 2026
- ProfessorShiroh Iwanaga
- LecturerTsubasa Nishi
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte” Microrao / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Artificial chromosomes of the malaria parasite: “Plasmodium falciparum 01” Photo Credit: Content Providers(s): CDC/Dr. Mae Melvin Transwiki approved by: w:en:User:Dmcdevit / Public domain (cropped)
- Regulation of stage-specific gene expression: “Plasmodium falciparum IDC” Bozdech Z, Llinás M, Pulliam BL, Wong ED, Zhu J, et al. / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
- Building an artificial malaria parasite: “Red blood cells infected with malaria” Rick Fairhurst and Jordan Zuspann, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Interdisciplinary Group (Nuclear Function) Lab): “Yeast cells in wet mount of culture” Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plant Physiology Lab): “Photosynthesis System analysing a maize leaf” Viséan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Molecular Developmental Biology Lab): “Confocal Microscope” Mark from Edinburgh, United Kingdom / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Protein Physical Biology Lab): “Fungi seen with fluorescence microscope” Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
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