Topics

• Mechanisms of parasite and other pathogenic eukaryote pathogenesis and virulence, including parasite-host and pathogen-host interactions; parasite, pathogen, and host signaling pathways; manipulation of host cellular processes; identification of molecular and cellular targets for disease control, determinants of tissue tropism and disease; immune evasion; and mechanisms underlying asymptomatic infection, persistence, or parasitism.
• Mechanisms of parasite-host and pathogen-host interactions, including parasite and pathogen determinants that modulate innate and adaptive host responses; mechanisms of host resistance or susceptibility; parasite- and pathogen-mediated immune evasion, subversion, or immunopathology; and the consequences of these interactions for infection and disease control.
• Parasite and other pathogenic eukaryote cell, molecular, and biochemical processes, including metabolism, enzymology, organelle biology and structure, membrane and secretory processes, cytoskeletal functions, motility, nutrient acquisition, stress responses, host-cell invasion, intracellular survival, replication, and egress.
• Parasite and other pathogenic eukaryote physiology and development, including morphology, differentiation, morphogenesis, developmental transitions, stage conversion, and other pathogen-intrinsic processes required for establishment, dissemination, latency, persistence, transmission, or completion of the infectious life cycle and reproduction.
• Parasite and other pathogenic eukaryote genetics, genomics, and molecular evolution, including genome organization and function, gene expression and regulation, genetic diversity, genome plasticity, functional and comparative genomics, proteomics and other systems-level approaches, and the development or application of genetic methods to elucidate parasite and pathogen biology and pathogenesis.
• Experimental models of parasitic and other pathogenic eukaryotic infections and disease, including the development or mechanistic use of in vitro, ex vivo, organoid, and animal infection models to investigate parasite and pathogen biology, host-pathogen interactions, infectious life cycles, persistence, or pathogenesis.

Shared Interests and Overlaps

There are shared interests with Adaptive Immunity (AI), Innate Immunity A (IIA), Innate Immunity B (IIB), and Molecular and Structural Immunology (MSI) in studies of immune responses to parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications focused on parasite/pathogen biology, virulence, host-pathogen interactions, immune evasion or subversion, or mechanisms by which parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes alter host physiology, immunity, and disease outcomes may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused primarily on fundamental mechanisms of the immune system may be reviewed in the appropriate immunology study section: adaptive immune cell development, differentiation, activation, regulation, or function in AI; innate immune cell development, differentiation, immunobiology, antigen processing, or antigen presentation in IIA; integrated innate immune signaling and inflammatory responses in IIB; and molecular, structural, biophysical, biochemical, or intracellular signaling mechanisms of immune molecules, receptors, and pathways in MSI.

There are shared interests with Anti-Infective Resistance and Targets (AIRT) in studies of drug responses and potential therapeutic targets in parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications using anti-infective agents, genetic perturbations, or candidate targets primarily to elucidate fundamental parasite/pathogen biology, physiology, or pathogenesis may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused primarily on mechanisms of anti-infective drug resistance or characterization of drug targets in the context of resistance may be reviewed in AIRT.

There are shared interests with Clinical Neuroimmunology and Brain Tumors (CNBT) in studies of parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes that infect the central, peripheral, or autonomic nervous system. Applications that emphasize parasite or other pathogenic eukaryote biology, infection, pathogenesis, virulence, host-pathogen interactions, immune evasion or subversion, or immunity from the parasite/pathogen perspective may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications that emphasize neuroimmune or neuroinflammatory responses to parasitic or other pathogenic eukaryotic infections, including immune modulation and inflammatory mechanisms contributing to nervous system injury, pathology, or functional outcomes, may be reviewed in CNBT.

There are shared interests with Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology A (DMPA) in studies of potential anti-infective agents targeting parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications using compounds primarily as experimental tools to understand fundamental parasite/pathogen processes, target biology, physiology, or mechanisms of pathogenesis may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused primarily on the discovery, characterization, optimization, or therapeutic potential of novel anti-infective agents against parasites or other pathogenic eukaryotes may be reviewed in DMPA.

There are shared interests with Etiology, Diagnostic, Intervention and Treatment of Infectious Diseases (EDIT) in studies of human infections caused by parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications emphasizing mechanistic studies of parasite or pathogenic eukaryote biology, pathogenesis, virulence, or host-pathogen interactions using in vitro systems, animal models, or human-derived samples may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications emphasizing population-level or clinical studies, epidemiology, diagnostics, therapeutics, prophylaxis, surveillance, or other translational and applied aspects of parasitic or other eukaryotic infections may be reviewed in EDIT.

There are shared interests with Genetic Variation and Evolution (GVE) in studies of genetic diversity, evolution, and host-pathogen interactions involving parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications focused on molecular or genetic mechanisms underlying parasite/pathogen biology, virulence, pathogenesis, or host-pathogen interactions may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused primarily on evolutionary processes, natural genetic variation, population genetics, coevolutionary dynamics, comparative genomics, or computational and theoretical analyses of parasite or pathogen evolution may be reviewed in GVE.

There are shared interests with HIV Coinfections and HIV Associated Cancers (HCAC) in studies of parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes that cause opportunistic infections in individuals with HIV/AIDS or other HIV-associated immuno-compromised states. Applications focused on the fundamental and mechanistic biology, pathogenesis, virulence, host-pathogen interactions, host responses, immunity, or mechanisms of disease caused by parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes without a clear and compelling HIV/AIDS research component may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused on the molecular, cellular, or immunological mechanisms of parasitic or fungal opportunistic infections specifically in the context of HIV infection, HIV-associated immune compromise, or their contribution to HIV/AIDS pathogenesis may be reviewed in HCAC.

There are shared interests with Immunity and Host Defense (IHD) in studies of host responses to parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications in which parasite or pathogen biology, virulence, immune-evasion mechanisms, or the mechanistic interaction between the parasite/pathogen and host is the primary focus may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications focused primarily on mechanisms of protective innate or adaptive host immunity to a specific parasite or other pathogenic eukaryote may be reviewed in IHD.

There are shared interests with Interspecies Microbial Interactions and Infections (IMII) in studies of parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes within biofilms, polymicrobial infections, and microbial communities. Applications focused predominantly on biology, pathogenesis, virulence, or host interactions of a parasite or other pathogenic eukaryote may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications in which interspecies microbial interactions, biofilms, polymicrobial infection, or microbial community dynamics are the major focus that may be reviewed in IMII.

There are shared interests with Transmission of Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (TVZ) in studies of parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes with vector-borne, zoonotic, or complex life cycles. Applications focused predominantly on the molecular, cellular, genetic, physiological, or pathogenic mechanisms of the parasite or other pathogenic eukaryote, including parasite developmental processes occurring within mammalian hosts, may be reviewed in PTHE. Applications emphasizing transmission among hosts or vectors, parasite-vector interactions, non-human reservoirs, vector biology, disease ecology, or the integrated vector-borne or zoonotic life cycle may be reviewed in TVZ.

There are shared interests in vaccine-related studies of parasites and other pathogenic eukaryotes. Applications focused primarily on vaccine development, formulation, delivery, testing, safety, immunogenicity, or efficacy against parasitic or other pathogenic eukaryotic infections may be reviewed in the appropriate vaccine-focused study section - Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases (VID) or Early Development of Vaccines Against Infectious Diseases – DCAI (89). Applications in which parasites or pathogen antigens, virulence factors, or other biological determinants are investigated primarily to elucidate mechanisms of parasite/pathogen biology, pathogenesis, or protective immunity may be reviewed in PTHE.