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Institut für Parasitologie

Nicole Langejan

Nicole Langejan

  • PhD Student
Biography: I am Nicole Langejan, a PhD student enrolled in the Microbiology and Immunology PhD program at the University of Zurich. I earned my Bachelor's degree (2021) in Human Health and Life Sciences from the Vrije University (VU), Amsterdam. During this period, I became intrigued with infectious diseases' molecular and genetic mechanisms, leading me to pursue a Master's degree in Biomedical Science with specializations in Infectious disease and Biomolecular Science. The parasitology course triggered my interest in parasites and my determination to forge a career in parasitic research. With this goal in mind, I joined Prof. Preiser’s Malaria Invasion group at the Nanyang Technological University for my final internship. Here I focused on unraveling the mechanism of Plasmodium falciparum invading the red blood cells of its non-primary host, the mouse. 
Research Interest: I joined the Marti lab in November 2023. My research focuses on understanding the determinants of malaria transmission, particularly in the context of genetically diverse Plasmodium falciparum strains. Of particular interest is the formation of the sexual stage, crucial for transmission to the mosquito vector, which deviates from the linear progression observed in other stages. These variations in sexual commitment rates and sex ratios across strains arise from a combination of genetic and environmental factors in the host microenvironment. In close collaboration with Prof. Ashley Vaughan (Seattle Children’s), we will create P. falciparum genetic crosses using human-liver chimeric mice. These will be used to identify genetic loci associated with variation in sexual commitment and sex ratio rates. This research sheds light on the underlying mechanisms governing malaria transmission and contributes to developing targeted interventions.