Pathogenic Eukaryotes Study Section – PTHE

Topics

• Mechanisms of pathogenesis, including pathogen-host interactions, signaling pathways in both host cell and pathogen, molecular mechanisms of virulence, manipulation of host cell biological pathways, and factors associated with asymptomatic infection and/or commensalism
• Host-microbe interaction mechanisms including innate host immune responses to eukaryotic pathogens, genetic resistance and susceptibility to infection and disease, induction and regulation of innate immunity, immunopathology, and evasion of host immune responses
• Medically important fungal biology, including pathogenesis, quorum sensing, host response, and immunity that influence microbial fitness/disease pathogenesis and/or identifying molecular and cellular targets that could be manipulated for disease control and/or host infection models that elucidate mechanisms of host defense, subversion, pathophysiology, and protective immunity (innate and acquired)
• Eukaryotic pathogen cell and molecular biology including metabolism, enzymology, organelle function, secretory processes, motility, host cell invasion, and the establishment of intracellular infection and replication
• Eukaryotic pathogen physiology, morphology, differentiation, morphogenesis, and developmental processes required for the infectious cycle including transmission, dissemination, latency and persistence
• Eukaryotic pathogen genetic processes (gene structure, regulation of gene expression, molecular evolution, genetic diversity, and improved genetic methodology) as well as functional genomics, comparative genomics, proteomics, and other broad-based technologies for studying eukaryotic pathogen genomes
• Improved or novel models of infectious cycles, diseases, and commensalism
• Identification and initial characterization of potential vaccine targets for early- and mid-stage vaccine development

Overlaps with Closely Related Study Sections

There are shared interests with Interspecies Microbial Interactions and Infections (IMII) in the investigation of eukaryotic pathogens. Applications that focus on single species biofilms, or interspecies interactions with other microbes or within microbial communities, may be reviewed by IMII. Applications focused largely on a single eukaryotic pathogen may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in eukaryotic pathogen physiology with Transmission of Vector-borne and Zoonotic diseases (TVZ). Applications that emphasize the complex zoonotic or vector-borne life cycles of eukaryotic pathogens may be reviewed in TVZ. Applications that focus on biology of the eukaryotic pathogen may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in eukaryotic pathogens with Etiology, Diagnostic, Intervention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (EDIT). Applications that emphasize large scale studies examining human-eukaryote interactions and diagnosis may be reviewed in EDIT.

Applications that emphasize mechanistic in vitro studies and animal models of eukaryotic pathogens may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests with Immunity and Host Defense (IHD) in the investigations of the process of infections by eukaryotic pathogens. Applications that focus on the innate and acquired immune responses to eukaryotic pathogens may be reviewed in IHD. Applications that emphasize the interactions between the host and the eukaryotic pathogen may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in vaccine development with Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases (VID). Applications that emphasize measurement of vaccine efficacy or vaccine-induced immune responses as the end-point may be reviewed in VID. Applications that emphasize early stages of vaccine development, such as the identification and initial characterization of anti-pathogen protective pathogenic antigens, their cloning and development of vector systems, and the development and immunologic evaluation of the adjuvant systems may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in eukaryotic pathogen physiology with Anti-Infective Resistance and Targets (AIRT). Applications that focus on identifying novel drug targets or resistance mechanisms may be reviewed in AIRT. Applications that are focused on a eukaryotic pathogen may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests with Genetic Variation and Evolution (GVE) in pathogen-host interactions. Applications that focus on such interactions as a coevolution process using genomic, genetic or computational methods may be reviewed in GVE. Applications that focus on genetic factors involved in the molecular mechanisms of such interactions may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in reviewing studies of effects of molecular probes or prospective therapeutic modifiers of prokaryotic or eukaryotic pathogens with Chemical Biology & Probes (CBP). Applications that emphasize development of novel synthetic or medicinal chemistry approaches may be reviewed in CBP. Applications that use known or modestly modified drugs as probes may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests in pathogen physiology with Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology A (DMPA). Applications that emphasize developing new antimicrobial drugs may be reviewed in DMPA. Applications that emphasize understanding fundamental processes or pathogenesis mechanisms, or that use known drugs as probes may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests with Adaptive Immunity (AI). Applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in PTHE, whereas applications with a greater focus on the adaptive immune response itself may be reviewed in AI.

There are shared interests with Innate Immunity B (IIB). Applications with a greater focus on innate immune signaling may be reviewed in IIB. Applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in PTHE.

There are shared interests with Innate Immunity A (IIDA (81)). Applications with a greater focus on the innate immune cell processing of the infectious agent antigen may be reviewed in IIDA (81), whereas applications associated with infectious disease virulence and pathological outcomes may be reviewed in PTHE.