Tue 16 Jan, 2018
+Tue 3rd July, 2018
12.00 PM - 13.30 PM
+10.00 AM - 11.00 AM
My research focuses on the biology, pathogenesis and transmission of enteric pathogens and their impact on food safety. This includes studies aimed at developing a better understanding of whether carriage of antimicrobial drug resistance affects how these bacteria survive in the environment and cause disease. The organisms I study include various Vibrio species and E. coli pathotypes including enterohaemorrhagic E. coli, and all are capable of inhabiting two diverse ecological niches, that of the mammalian intestine as well as that of the natural environment.
+We tend to forget, but intestinal worms were common in Europe until the middle of the last century. In this way, a survey showed that Trichuris infections were prevalent when my grandparents attended school in Denmark in the nineteen-thirties and going further back, we have identified well-preserved Ascaris and Trichuris eggs from an archeological excavation dating back to the Viking age in 1030 AC. However, morphology most often only allows us to identify helminth eggs at the genus level, which restricts us for further elucidation of specific host-parasite associations.
+With the advent of new techniques many unrecognized aspects of parasitology being more precisely addressed. We therefore applied shotgun DNA sequencing analysis on ancient (500 BC-1700 AD) parasite eggs from multiple locations in Europe to identify parasites at the species level and to explore their genetic association with existing parasites. In addition, since intestinal parasites are foodborne infections, this study may also provide insight into our ancestor’s diet and their domestic animals.
+Studies have shown that pathogens have had major impact on human genome evolution and in this context, it has been suggested that helminths have been more important than viruses and bacteria. Indeed, helminths are now regarded as true masters of host immunomodulation but what happens when we in the industrialized part of the world no longer encounter with helminths? Can lack of helminth exposure explain the rapid rise in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, which we have observed during the last 70 years?
+We are currently identifying and characterizing parasite products, including extracellular vesicles, released from three different intestinal worms such as Ascaris, Trichuris and Oesophagostomum in order to determine their possible role(s) in parasite establishment and immune-modulation. In fact, our long-term plan has been set up in dual but connected ways. To provide novel treatment options for people with inflammatory diseases and to support the development of vaccines for humans and animals suffering from worm infections.
+Peter Nejsum earned his PhD degree from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009. He received postdoctoral training in host and parasite genetics at Copenhagen University and was appointed as Associate Professor in 2012. In 2016, he was offered a professorship at Aarhus University, Denmark where he currently is located and established his own research group.
+His works have focused on molecular parasitology exploring transmission routes, evolutionary relationship of parasites, immunity/immunomodulation, and mechanisms behind host-parasite interaction. His main current interest is unraveling the immunomodulatory mechanisms by which helminths suppress inflammation and the role of extracellular vesicles in host-parasite interaction.
+See Peter's Aarhus University profile or read his brilliant NTD research story Hooked on Worms.