Research Interests

Work in this laboratory is focussed on leishmaniasis, a chronic disease caused by the intracellular protozoa parasite Leishmania which affects more than 500 million people in several countries in the world. Our goal is to hopefully understand the survival mechanism(s) of the parasite in human macrophages (a stressful environment) during infection at the molecular level and ultimately use molecular probes for diagnostic purposes as well as design vaccine(s) for future treatment of individuals infected with this parasite.

Courses Taught

Graduate Students

Selected publications

• Plewes, K., Barr, S. and Gedamu, L. (2003) Iron superoxide dismutase targeted to the glycosomes of Leishmania chagasi is important for survival. Infect. Immun. 71:5910-5920.
• Barr, S. and Gedamu, L. (2003) Role of peroxidins in Leishmania chagasi survival: evidence of an enzymatic defense against nitrosative stress. J. Biol. Chem. 278, 10816-10823
• Mundodi, V., Somanna, A., Farrell, P.J. and L. Gedamu. 2002. Genomic organization and functional expression of differentially regulated cysteine protease genes of Leishmania donovani complex. Gene 282: 257-265.
• Somanna, A., Mundodi, V. and L. Gedamu. 2002. Functional analysis of cathespin B-like cysteine proteases from Leishmania donovani complex: evidence for the activation of latent transforming growth factor B. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 25305-25312.
• Somanna, A., Mundodi, V. and L. Gedamu. 2002. In vitro cultivation and characterization of Leishmania chagasi amastigote-like forms. Acta Tropica 83: 37-42.
•  Barr, S.D. and L. Gedamu. 2001. Cloning and characterization of three differentially expressed peroxidoxin genes from Leishmanai chagasi: Evidence for an enzymatic detoxification of hydroxyl radicals. J. Biol. Chem. 276: 34279-34287.
• Hailu, A., Menon, J., Berhie, N., Gedamu, L, Kager, P.A., Olobo, J., Senthilselvan, A. and P. Bretscher. 2001. Distinct immunity in visceral patients from that in both subclinically infected and in drug-cured people: implications for the mechanism of underlying drug cure. J. Infec. Dis. 184: 112-115.
• Samson, S.-L.A., Paramchuk, W. and L. Gedamu. 2001. The rainbow trout metallothionein-B gene promoter: contributions of distal promoter elements. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1517: 202-211.
• Samson, S.L.-A., W.J. Paramchuk and L. Gedamu. (2000). The rainbow trout metallothionein-B promoter: contributions of distal promoter elements to metal and oxidant regulation. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 93488: 1-10.
• Carvan III, M.J., A.S. Willy, L. Gedamu and D.W. Herbert. (2000). Activation of transcription factors in zebrafish cell cultures by environmental pollutants. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 376: 320-327.
• Miller, J.M., E.J. Boyd and L. Gedamu. (2000). Induction of heat shock protein 790 (HSP72) protects against organ damage in essential hypertension: a hypothesis. Canadian Journal of Cardiology 16: 44-48. Gedamu, L., Samson, S.L.-A., Schieman, A. and Paramchuk, W. 1999. Metal regulation of mammalian MRE binding proteins. In: Metallothionein IV, Klassen, C.D. ed. Birkhauser-Verlag, Basel, pp. 253-259.
• Bhatia, A., R. Sanyal, W. Paramchuk and L. Gedamu. 1998. Isolation, characterization and disruption of the casein kinase II-" subunit gene of Leishmania chagasi. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 92: 195-206.
• Bittel, D., T. Dalton, S.L.-A. Samson, L. Gedamu, and G. Andrews. 1998. DNA-binding activity of MRE-binding transcription factor-1 is activated in vivo and in vitro by Zn, but not by other transition metals. J. Biol. Chem. 273: 7127-7133.
• Paramchuk, W., S.O. Ismail, A. Bhatia, and L. Gedamu. 1997. Isolation and characterization of two iron superoxide dismutase cDNAs from Leishmania chagasi: Role in pathogenesis. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 90: 203-221.
• Omara-Opyene, A.L. and L. Gedamu. 1997. Molecular cloning, characterization and production of functional proteins from two distinct cysteine protease cDNAs from Leishmania donovani chagasi. Mol. Biochem. Parasitol. 90: 247-267.
• Ismail, S.O., W. Paramchuk, Y.A.W. Skeiky, A. Bhatia, S.G. Reed and L. Gedamu. 1997. Molecular cloning and characterization of two Fe-superoxide dismutase cDNAs from Trypanosoma cruzi. Mol. Biochem. Parasitool. 86: 187-197.
• Pati, D., H.R. Habibi and L. Gedamu. 1996. Inhibition of zinc-induced metallothionein mRNA accumlation by gonadotropin-releasing hormone in human hepatocarcinoma cell-line HepG2. Eur. J. Biochem. 242: 36-40.
• Samson, S.L.-A., W.J. Paramchuk, N.W. Shworak, and L. Gedamu. 1995. Functional analyses of the human metallothionein-IG gene: In vitro and in vivo studies. J. Biol. Chem. 270: 25194-25199.