Shayista Amin

Personal Data:
Country of Origin: India
Start of PhD: January 2010
Institution: HKI

PhD Project:
Acute and chronic Aspergillus infection in mice studied by PET-CT and comparative gene expression

Supervisor(s): H. P. Saluz (HKI)

Abstract:
Aspergillus is an opportunistic fungus that can cause a wide spectrum of illnesses in humans like colonization and formation of a “fungus ball” in the lungs, allergic reactions in susceptible individuals, and both acute and chronic aspergillosis. Aspergillus belongs to the most relevant fungal pathogens. Within the framework of this project we aim at the elucidation of how acute and chronic Aspergillus infections proceed in living mice (imaging technology) and how do infected organs react on a molecular level (comparative transcriptomics). Imaging will be performed by means of our latest generation positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) instrument that provides co-registered images, ie. it combines the high spatial resolution and anatomical detail of CT with the molecular, quantifiable images obtained by PET. Comparative transcriptomics will be realized by Solexa sequencing. This technology is based on massively parallel sequencing of millions of fragments using proprietary reversible terminator-based sequencing chemistry.