---

Supervisor:

Prof. Dr. Raluca Niesner

Lab Adress:

Freie Universität Berlin, Dynamic and Functional in vivo Imaging, Veterinary Medicine, Königsweg 56, D-14163 Berlin

---

Project description:

Ascarids are known to change their metabolism during life cycle from mitochondrial to cytosolic malate metabolism (1), with anthelminthics targeting metabolism (2). This project aims to understand possible metabolic differences between ascarid species during the life cycle and whether these differences are intrinsically imposed or depend on metabolic cues in the host microenvironment. To assess metabolic pathways in tissue context, we developed label-free NAD(P)H fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) (3). We previously found (i) that during the life cycle of helminths, i.e. H. bakeri in mice, both bioenergetic and defense metabolism change (4), paralleling their locomotion in the gut (5), (ii) Ascaris suum L3 larvae use different metabolic pathways in distinct body regions, (iii) with Artemisinin derivatives not interfering with dominant parasitic metabolic pathways (6).

Using NAD(P)H-FLIM, the doctoral researcher will characterize the metabolism of three ascarid species during infection course, in tissue context vs. isolated parasites. Samples will be obtained from pig and chicken studies conducted jointly by the research training group in Germany and as part of a joint study in an Ascaris endemic area in Kenya. For the studies in Kenya, the doctoral researcher will build a robust fluorescence camera-based microscope with FLIM capacity.

In conclusion, the doctoral researcher of P3 will study intrinsic and extrinsic factors driving ascarid metabolism and facilitate ascarid field investigations based on fluorescence microscopy.

References: 1) Komuniecki & Vanover Mol Biochem Parasitol 1987; 2) Reed & Smith Trends Parasitol 2024; 3) Leben et al. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2019 ; 4) Liublin et al. Sci. Rep. 2022; 5) Leben et al. J Roy Soc Inter 2024 ; 6) Musimbi et al. Sci. Rep. 2025