Dr. Gabrielle A. Stryker

Education

Ph.D. Johns Hopkins University (Immunology/Molecular Microbiology), 1995.

Teaching

General Biology, Microbiology, Immunology, Parasitology

Research

My lab utilizes molecular biology and cellular immunology to explore the paraflagellar rod (PFR) proteins found in the flagellum of Kinetoplastids. These protists are obligatory parasites that include Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease), Trypanosoma brucei spp. (sleeping sickness), and several Leishmania spp. The PFR is a unique and complex structure that is critical for cell motility, though little is known about its molecular assembly or its role in the lifecycle of trypanosomatids. PFR proteins are of particular importance in Trypanosoma cruzi , as purified or recombinant PFR proteins have been demonstrated to be immunogenic, protecting mice from a lethal challenge with the parasite.

Recent Publications:

• Coffield, DJ., Spagnuolo, AM Capouellez, R., and Stryker, GA. 2023. A mathematical model for Chagas disease transmission with neighboring villages. Frontiers in Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Sec. Mathematical Biology 9. 
• McNolty, A, Anderson, H, Stryker, GA, and Dondji, B. 2021. Investigations on the effects of anti-Leishmania major serum on the progression of Leishmania infantum infection in vivo and in vitro - implications of heterologous exposure to Leishmania spp. Parasitology Research 120(5):1771-1780. 
• Nation, CS., Dondji, B. and Stryker, GA. 2012. Previous exposure to a low infectious dose of Leishmania major exacerbates infection with Leishmania infantum in the susceptible BALB/c mouse. Parasitology Research 111(3):1407-1415.
• Spagnuolo, AM., Shillor, M. and Stryker, GA., 2011. A Model for Chagas Disease with Controlled Spraying.  Journal of Biological Dynamics 5(4):299-317.
• Clark, AK., Kovtunovych, G., Kandlikar, SS., Lal, SK. and Stryker, GA. 2005 Cloning and expression analysis of two novel paraflagellar rod domain genes found in Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitology Research 96(5):312-320.
• Shen, Z., Stryker, GA., Mernaugh, R, Yu, L., Yan, H, Zeng, X. 2005. Single-chain Fragment Variable (scFv) Antibody Piezoimmunosensors. Analytical Chemistry 77(3):797-805.
• Gupta, S., Wang, B., Stryker, GA., Zanetti, ME. and Lal, SK. 2004 Two Novel Arginine/Serine (SR) Proteins in Maize are differentially Spliced and Utilize Non-Canonical Splice Sites. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Gene Structure and Expression 1728(3):105-114.
• Gupta, S., Gallavotti, A., Stryker, GA., Schmidt, RJ., and Lal, SK. 2004 A novel class of Helitron- related transposable elements in maize contain portions of multiple pseudogenes. Plant Molecular Biology 57(1):115-127.
• Hanna, DM., Oakley, BA., and Stryker GA. 2003. Using a System-on-a-Chip Implantable Device to Filter Circulating Infected Cells in Blood or Lymph. IEEE Transactions on Nanobioscience 2(1): 6 -13.
• Fouts, DL., Stryker, GA., Gorski, K., Miller, MJ., Nguyen, TV., Wrightsman, RA., and Manning, JE. 1998. Evidence for four distinct major protein components in the paraflagellar rod of Trypanosoma cruzi. Journal of Biological Chemistry 273(34):21846-21855.
• Miller, MJ., Wrightsman, RA., Stryker, GA., and Manning, JE. 1997. Protection of mice against Trypanosoma cruzi by immunization with paraflagellar rod proteins requires T cell but not B cell function. Journal of Immunology 158(11):5330-5337.