Macromolecular Mechanisms of Microsporidia Infection Investigated by Cryo Electron Tomography

Microsporidia are tiny parasites that can infect animals and humans and cause serious disease, which are especially detrimental for humans with weak immune systems. Not only are microsporidia a danger to human health, but they are also partly responsible for the recent decimation in pollinating honeybee populations; a potential threat to our global food supply. Despite the global health and economic problems caused by microsporidia, the way they infect animals and humans is poorly understood. I aim to investigate the mechanism of microsporidia infection at an unprecedented level of detail by using the powerful new method of cryo electron microscopy; a technique which led to the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2017. I will image microsporidia in 3D and at a resolution at which large molecules can be seen. This research will be a breakthrough in understanding microsporidia infection in order to help fight microsporidiosis in animals and humans.