Principal Investigator
Dr. Roberta O'Connor
I am a molecular parasitologist with a particular interest in apicomplexan host-parasite interactions. Although my lab now focuses on drug discovery, I still have research interests in the molecular and immune interactions that allow parasites to infect and persist in their host. We also focus on establishing new methods for culturing parasites that better mimic the host environment. In addition to my research, I have taught students at all levels from high school to graduate school and I greatly enjoy mentoring and inspiring my students to be great scientists and well-rounded humans.
My laboratory focuses on natural product drug discovery for diseases caused by apicomplexan parasites. Because ocean flora and fauna are a rich source of unusual compounds, we screen marine sources for antiparasitic compounds. One of our compounds currently under investigation came from a symbiotic bacterium of shipworms, marine clams that eat wood. Our parasites of interest are Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma gondii. Once we have identified compounds effective against these parasites, and that are not toxic to host cells, we try to identify the target of the compound using a variety of techniques such as forward genetics, RNAseq, and proteomics. To improve our screening assays and parasite culture techniques we work with intestinal organoids from a variety of species. Promising compounds are further investigated for their pharmacokinetic properties and efficacy in vivo.
PhD Students
Hanen Baggar, BS, MS
CMB Graduate Student
Email: [email protected]
Hanen obtained her undergraduate degree in Microbiology from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Then, she received The Professional Accreditation Certificate in Medical Laboratory and worked for two years as a medical microbiologist. After that, she came to the United States to proceed with her graduate studies. In 2019 she obtained a master's degree from Washington State University, titled Mechanism of pathogen entry into tick cells. In 2021 she joined Dr. O'Connor's lab. Her project focuses on establishing human organoids in an air-liquid interface system (ALI) as a model to grow Cryptosporidium parvum. Then, test current anti-parasitic drugs in the lab using human organoids, and compare the EC50 in human organoids Vs. the EC50 from the cell culture.
Fernanda Fumuso, DVM
CMB Graduate Student
Email: [email protected]
I am a graduate student that joined the lab in Spring of 2022. I came all the way from Argentina where I obtained my veterinary and doctoral degree in the University of Buenos Aires. Gladly, I was able to bring my dog Ramón with me to face the cold Minnesotan winter. The focus of my research is to study the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of TartrolonE, a natural compound that proved to have antiparasitic activity against parasites from the Apicomplexan phylum. At the present, my work is with Cryptosporidium parvum, and I do both in-vitro and in-vivo assays with the parasite and the compound.
Mary Piaskowski, BS
MICaB Graduate Student
Email: [email protected]
Mary graduated with her undergraduate degree from Marshall University in WV in 2019. During undergrad she was able to do research in the fields of microbial ecology, microbiology, neuroscience, and liver disease. Mary then spent 2 years as a post-baccalaureate fellow at the National Cancer Institute working on a small DNA virus. Currently, she is working on determining a molecular target for an antiparasitic compound, and engineering bacteria to more of another antiparasitic compound. In her free time she likes to play Dungeons and Dragons, hang out with her dog-Axel, try new restaurants, hike, and play board/video games. In the future, she plans to adopt another dog, get more tattoos, and visit more national parks! Professionally, she first hopes to finish her PhD and then get a job in science, probably doing microbiology.
Robert Maddox
MICaB Graduate Student
Email: [email protected]
Postdoctoral Associates
Ana Carolina Ribeiro Gomes Maia, MS, PhD
Postdoctoral Associate
Email: [email protected]
Ana Carolina earned her undergraduate degree in Biological Science from the Higher Education Center of Juiz de Fora, Brazil. She obtained her master’s and PhD in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil. She is a dedicated biologist with many years of experience in research and teaching at universities in Brazil. Her career has been centered around biochemistry and parasitology, specifically focusing on the parasites Leishmania sp and their NTPDases. These enzymes have potential applications in the prophylaxis, treatment, and diagnosis of Leishmaniasis and other infectious diseases. In 2021, she relocated to the United States to contribute to research at Texas A&M University. In 2023, she joined Dr. O'Connor's lab, where she will contribute to ongoing projects, specifically those related to the identification of targets and the mechanism of action of anti-parasitic drugs in in vitro and in vivo infections caused by Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium.
Lab Technicians
Alex Kolas, BS
Lab Technician
Email: [email protected]
Alex graduated with her undergraduate degree in Microbiology from the University of
Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2023. During that time, she completed research projects in two
different labs. The first project involved using computer programs to determine the
effects of different diets on particular bacteria of the human gut microbiome. Meanwhile,
the other project was about mapping the function of Herpes Simplex Virus-1 proteins
through the creation of mutant viruses. In the O’Connor lab, she is testing the effects of
different natural products on both Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum
while also keeping the lab organized and running smoothly. She hopes to go to grad
school in the next couple of years to continue doing research in microbiology. In her free
time, she likes to sing, play video games, read, and do crafts.
Summer Scholars
Danielle Ahmed
I am a veterinary student at the University of Minnesota hoping to specialize in pathology and work in drug discovery. During Summer 2022, I worked as a summer scholar under the mentorship of Mary Piaskowski. I screened 96 natural products derived from fungi for activity against Toxoplasma gondii and determined the products' cytotoxicity to human foreskin fibroblast cells (HFF cells). This involved infecting HFF cells with T. gondii that express luciferase, adding compound, and determining the inhibition from the amount of luciferase expression.
Emma Miller
Emma is an undergraduate from the University of Washington studying biochemistry. She came to the lab as a summer student and worked in characterizing the activity of MMV665917 against Cryptosporidium in vitro. In her free time, she enjoys climbing and backpacking in Minnesota and Washington.
Rotation Students
Sydney Phu
Internship Students
Chidibere Nnenna Onoh
I obtained a DVM degree from the University of Nigeria Nsukka and practiced in a small animal clinic in Nigeria for three years. I am a master's student of Infectious Diseases and One Health in Europe, and I joined Dr O'Connor's Lab in January 2023 for a six months internship/thesis opportunity. My project is to conduct in-vitro infection assays to characterize newly identified natural products with activity against Cryptosporidium parvum and Toxoplasma gondii. I am enjoying the learning experience in the Lab and I have since gained confidence in performing experiments on my own. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with a wonderful team.
Lab Mascots
Axel
Axel serves as support for the lab. His favorite things are getting pets and treats from everyone in the office, followed by taking naps and going for walks. He comes to school in hopes of getting his degree in geology one day, specializing in sniffing and peeing on them. In the future, Axel hopes for limitless snacks and endless attention.