Vincent Racaniello

This Week in Parasitism

Science EN ↓ 290 episodes

TWiP is a monthly netcast about eukaryotic parasites. Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier, science Professors from Columbia University, deconstruct parasites, how they cause illness, and how you can prevent infections.

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: microbe.tv

Author

Vincent Racaniello

Episodes

TWiP 90: A carbuncle is a large furuncle 30.05.2015 2:01:27

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel discuss identification of an erythrocyte protein essential for invasion of Plasmodium falciparum , and introduce a new case study. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Dermatobia hominis (Wikipedia) Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte invasion (Science) Plasmodium life cycle (TWiP #10) Letters read on TWiP...

TWiP 89: Day TWiPers 16.05.2015 1:34:31

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel reveal last week's case study and introduce a new one concerning a patient who traveled to Belize. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Neurocysticercosis ( TWiP 6 ) Cysticercosis (CDC) Sarah Lane's neurocysticercosis Letters read on TWiP 89 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twi...

TWiP 88: French foreign lesion 02.05.2015 1:53:37

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel discuss how a secreted protein from the protozoan parasite Theileria transforms its host cells via a cellular proto-oncogene. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Leishmania (TWiP #14) Transformation by a prolyl isomerase (Nature) Theileria.org Prolyl isomerase (Wikipedia) Image from Transformation & Oncog...

TWiP 87: Stumped by pinworm 21.04.2015 1:16:41

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel review new insight into antigenic variation in trypanosomes, reveal the difficult solution to the last case study, and present another mystery for your solving. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Pinworm (CDC) Pinworm on TWiP #19 Dynamics of antigenic variation in T. brucei (Science) Image credit Letters r...

TWiP 86: Worms Loa the immune response to mycobacteria 29.03.2015 2:04:43

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel discuss how filarial infection modulates the immune response to mycobacterial infection, and reveal a new case study. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Filarial infection modulate immune response (J Immunol) Memory T cells (Wikipedia) Image: Loa loa microfilaria Letters read on TWiP 86 Contact Send your...

TWiP 85: Channeling tryps 14.03.2015 1:49:57

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel explain how trypanolytic factor forms membrane channels to lyse trypanosomes, and present a new case study. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Human trypanolytic factor forms channels (PNAS) Human paragonimiasis (MMWR) Don't eat raw crawfish Daniel and Dickson in studio (jpg) Image credit Letters read on...

TWiP 84: Bigfoot 28.02.2015 1:46:09

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel consider the delivery of anti-trypanosome nanobodies to the tsetse fly via a bacterial symbiont, and present a new case study. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Delivery of a functional nanobody to tsetse flies (Microb Cell Fact) Nanobodies (Wikipedia) V.B. Wigglesworth (Wikipedia) VB Nimble, VB Quick Kno...

TWiP 83: Hidden costs of infection 23.02.2015 1:35:59

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel present a new case study, and discuss the effect of chronic malaria infection on wild warbler life span and telomere degradation. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Effect of chronic malaria infection on wild warblers (Science) Image credit Letters read on TWiP 83 Contact Send your questions and comments (e...

TWiP 82: A NOD to helminths 07.02.2015 1:35:29

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel solve last week's case study, present a new one, and reveal how secreted proteins from a helminth prevent diabetes in mice. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Babesiosis (CDC) Babesiosis blood smear with Maltese cross (NEJM) Helminth proteins prevent diabetes in mice (PLoS One) Letters read on TWiP 82 Con...

TWiP 81: Living in a wormy world 24.01.2015 1:40:17

Vincent, Dickson, and Daniel provide the solution to last week's case study, present a new one, and discuss how immune suppression by nematodes increases tuberculosis fatality in African buffalo. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Consequences of living in a wormy world (Am Nat) Opposite effects of antihelminthic treatment on microbial...

TWiP 80: Daniel in the parasites' den 08.01.2015 1:58:07

Vincent and Dickson welcome new TWiP host Daniel to discuss the association of a new Mycoplasma with Trichomoniasis, and to introduce a new feature to the show, a case study. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello , Dickson Despommier , and Daniel Griffin Links for this episode: Association of Mycoplasma with trichomoniasis (PLoS One) Biggest DNA genomes (Wikipedia) Send your case study solutions to tw...

TWiP 79: Across the river and into the trees 22.11.2014 1:30:43

Vincent and Dickson discuss the spread of P. knowlesi in Malaysia, and how Leishmania parasites protect the sandfly gut from bacterial infection. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Spread of P. knowlesi in Malaysia (NY Times) Climate change in Europe and vector transmitted disease (Infez Med) Colonisation resistance in the sandfly gut (Parasites &...

TWiP 78: Eau de rodent 29.10.2014 1:11:25

Vincent and Dickson discuss how malaria parasites induce odors in their rodent hosts that attract mosquitoes. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Visceral Leishmaniasis , South Sudan (ProMedMail) Malaria-induced changes in host odors (PNAS) Image credit Letters read on TWiP 77 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv S...

TWiP 77: Mixed messages 19.09.2014 1:06:01

Vincent and Dickson discuss the exchange of messenger RNAs between a parasitic plant and its hosts. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Exchange of mRNAs between parasite and plant (Science) White leaf rust (Wikipedia) Cuscuta (Wikipedia) Fungal haustoria (PNAS) Image credit Letters read on TWiP 77 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3...

TWiP 76: Herpesvirus worms its way out 02.09.2014 1:24:09

Vincent and Dickson discuss how infection of mice with helminths induces cytokines that reactivate a latent gamma-herpesvirus. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Helminths reactivate herpesvirus (Science) How helminths go viral (Science) Herpesvirus latency protects from bacterial infection (Nature) Image credit Letters read on TWiP 76 Contact Send yo...

TWiP 75: Parasite wonders with Bobbi Pritt 21.07.2014 1:09:17

Bobbi Pritt joins Vincent and Dickson to talk about directing a clinical parasitology laboratory and her weekly case reports at Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Guest: Bobbi Pritt Links for this episode: Creepy Dreadful Wonderful Parasites Letters read on TWiP 75 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv...

TWiP 74: Nature has all the answers, what is your question? 04.07.2014 1:25:47

Vincent and Dickson review a novel malaria vaccine candidate comprising a parasite protein involved in egress from red blood cells. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Egress protein a malaria vaccine candidate (Science) Human proteins (Wikipedia) Plasmodium genomics resource Image: P. falciparum ring forms and gametocytes in blood Letters read on TW...

TWiP 73: I'm nibbling my way back to you 13.06.2014 1:06:39

Vincent and Dickson discuss how nibbling of human cells by Entamoeba histolytica , a process called amoebic trogocytosis, contributes to cell killing and tissue invasion. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Trogocytosis by E. histolytica (Nature) Trogocytosis Entamoeba histolytica (TWiP 17) Entamoeba histolytica life cycle (jpg) Image: E. histolytic...

TWiP 72: Wormholes 24.05.2014 1:40:31

Vincent and Dickson discuss five ways that helminths manipulate host tissues to survive. Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Links for this episode: Wormholes in host defense (PLoS Path) Lung coin lesion (Wikipedia) Granuloma (Wikipedia) Jar that Dickson is holding (jpg) Letters read on TWiP 72 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv Subsc...

TWiP 71: Happy trails to you 10.05.2014 1:23:37

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson review the finding that urocanic acid in the skin is a chemoattractant for the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis . Download TWiP #71 (60 MB .mp3, 84 minutes). Links for this episode: Strongyloides stercoralis (TWiP #71) Urocanic acid is a S. stercoralis chemoattractant (PNAS) Chemical trails of parasites (PN...

TWiP 70: Invasion of the swamp eels 12.04.2014 1:22:35

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson discuss the finding of Gnathostoma nematodes in Asian swamp eels from US live markets and wild populations. Links for this episode: Guinea worm eradication at risk (Science) Gnathostomiasis (CDC) Asian swamp eel Gnathostoma in live swamp eels (EID) Interview with Rebecca Cole (YouTube) Letters read on TWiP 70 Contact...

TWiP 69: Malaria rising 29.03.2014 1:13:39

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson discuss an increase in the altitude of malaria distribution in warmer years in the highlands of Colombia and Ethiopia. Links for this episode: Altitudinal changes in malaria incidence (Science) El Niño (Wikipedia) NOAA El Niño page Image credit: Science Letters read on TWiP 69 Contact Send your questions and comments (ema...

TWiP 68: Sex and the single trypanosome 08.03.2014 1:22:33

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello Dickson Despommier , and Sagi Shapira Vincent, Dickson, and Sagi discuss evidence that the pathogen Trypanosoma brucei undergoes meiosis and sexual reproduction. Links for this episode: Meiosis and haploid gametes in T. brucei (Curr Biol) Meiosis (Wikipedia) Letters read on TWiP 68 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv Su...

TWiP 67: They find each other delightful 22.02.2014 1:15:49

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson explain the genetic and molecular basis of drug resistance in Schistosoma mansonii . Links for this episode: Basis of resistance to oxamniquine (Science) Oxamniquine (Wikipedia) Letters read on TWiP 67 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to twip@twiv.tv Subscribe Subscribe to TWiP (free) in iTun...

TWiP 66: A nitrile warhead for Chagas disease 08.02.2014 1:42:55

Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier Vincent and Dickson discuss reversible inhibitors of cruzipain as new drugs for treating Chagas disease. Links for this episode: Reversible cysteine protease inhibitors for Chagas (AAC) New drug candidates for Chagas (ScienceDaily) Pancake ice (YouTube) Letters read on TWiP 66 Contact Send your questions and comments (email or mp3 file) to ...