Most parasites are successfully because they can go into stealth mode, hiding from their host’s immune system. Understanding this is key to developing better anti-parasitic medications like filariasis treatment. Dr. Geary explains this by discussing:

• What about a parasite’s structure and habits makes them hard to kill.
• Why about malaria’s evolution has made it unique among human-parasitic development.
• Why Dr. Geary is especially focused on molecules that parasites release in their host like micro RNAs.

Dr. Timothy Geary serves as Chair in Parasite Biotechnology at McGill University and also has an appointment at Queen’s University in Belfast. He began his career in pharmacology and gradually advanced to a specialized focus into anti-parasitic medication. He develops initiatives like  filariasis treatment through research into the host-parasite interface, trying to understand how the parasite hides from the host.

Dr. Geary describes the complex and lively survival systems parasites have developed as their life stages move from arthropod to vertebrate host. He also explains the various roles of evolution in how humans react to parasites, such as the differences between defensive abilities in different human locales and populations. 

As he explains such nuances, he also describes basic parasite ecology and life style—what a “definitive” host is, for example. He explains the variance among different types, from the single-celled protozoan to the multicellular helminths.

He finishes by articulating the main focus of his research: the implications of parasitic “stealth mode” and how to combat this hiding skill to develop superior anti-parasitic medication and treatment.

Learn more about contacting Dr. Geary and find a list of his publications at https://www.mcgill.ca/parasitology/faculty/geary

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed