WMCWeill Medical College of Cornell University · Microbiology & Immunology
The Malaria Shield Lab
Kirk W Deitsch · New York, New York
Research Focus
Dr. Kirk Deitsch's research lab focuses on understanding how malaria parasites change their outer surfaces to evade the immune system. By studying the molecular mechanisms behind this process, the lab aims to find new ways to combat malaria, particularly in young children who are at high risk of severe disease. This work not only enhances our understanding of malaria but also seeks to develop better treatments.
malariaantigenic variationPlasmodium falciparumgene expressionimmune evasion
Research Aims
5AIM 01Investigate the role of a highly conserved var gene that coordinates switching events among malaria parasites.
AIM 02Determine how parasites sense the presence of a placenta and alter gene expression accordingly.
AIM 03Understand the mechanisms regulating var gene expression to disrupt antigenic variation.
AIM 04Study the coordination of transcriptional switching in the var gene family of malaria parasites.
AIM 05Contribute to strategies aimed at reducing the length and severity of malaria infections.
Skills the Lab Values
PCRcell culturegene expression analysismolecular cloningbioinformatics
Output against the department
Publications132top 49% of dept.239th of 486
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations8.0ktop 45% of dept.217th of 486
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.