Journal of Bacteriology & Parasitology

Saravanan Thangamani

Saravanan Thangamani
Department of Pathology
University of Texas Medical Branch, USA

Biography

Dr. Saravanan Thangamani has been working as an Assistant Professor at the university of Texas Under the department of pathology.

Research Interest

Emerging and re-emerging diseases transmitted by blood feeding arthropods are significant global public health problems. There is a real threat that these diseases could be introduced into new ecological niches, and the disease causing agents has a great potential to be used as bioterrorism agents. During the course of blood feeding, ticks/mosquitoes introduce pharmacologically active molecules into the host that are essential for both obtaining a blood meal and for successful transmission of infectious agents. Some of these molecules stimulate host innate and specific acquired immune responses that induce resistance to mosquito feeding. In turn, ticks/mosquitoes have developed immunomodulatory countermeasures, which suppress or deviate host innate and specific acquired immune responses. Interactions between host immunity and mosquito/tick mediated immunomodulation are central to successful ticks/mosquitoes feeding and disease transmission. A major focus of my research is characterization of the complex cellular and molecular immunology of the tick/mosquito-host-pathogen interface. This will lead to development of rational strategies to control vector-borne diseases.