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ResearchDr. Patricia Dorn
Workshop presented at University of San Carlos, Guatemala entitled: "Generalidades de PCR-RAPDs para genética de poblaciones" (Use of RAPD-PCR for the study of population genetics). My laboratory is focused on the control of Chagas disease, a leading cause of heart disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a protozoan parasite. Previous work was on PCR-based diagnosis and strain typing of T. cruzi in patients and vectors in Guatemala and Mexico. Our current focus is the population genetics of the parasite vector Triatoma dimidiata in Central America. Much of this work has been done in collaboration with the Laboratory of Applied Entomology and Parasitology, headed by Dr. Carlota Monroy at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala. In addition, we are studying Chagas in Louisiana and discovered the first human case of insect-transmitted Chagas infection in Louisiana in July 2006 along with Dr. Dawn Wesson of Tulane Health Sciences Center. We are also studying Chagas in dogs in LA in collaboration with Dr. Jack Malone, LSU Vet School. |
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Associate Professor |
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