e-mail: abe@umn.edu

Research Interests
My research activities are focused on understanding the biochemical mechanisms of host/parasite interaction, including the molecular basis for the immune response to Cryptosporidium infection. In addition, my laboratory is interested in understanding the developmental biology of obligate intracellular parasites, including Cryptosporidium and Eimeria. We are using state-of-the-art molecular, biological, and immunological approaches to identify and characterize genes, both of the parasite and the host cell, which are regulated during intracellular Cryptosporidium development. In addition, we have begun to identify the molecular mechanisms involved in the generation of immunity to these parasites by identifying the specific immune cells that are recruited to the infected tissues and characterizing the regulatory and chemotactic factors responsible for regulating the immune response.

Selected Publications
(For a comprehensive list of  Dr. Abrahamsen's recent publications, refer to PubMed, a service provided by the National Library of Medicine.)

Abrahamsen, M.S., Templeton, T.J., Enomoto, S., Abrahante, J.E., Zhu, G., Lancto, C.A., Deng, M., Liu, C., Widmer, G., Tzipori, S., Buck, G.A., Xu, P., Bankier, A.T., Dear, P.H., Konfortov, B.A., Spriggs, H.F., Iver, L., Anantharaman, V., Avravind, L. and Kapur, V. 2004. Complete genome sequence of the apicomplexan, Cryptosporidium parvum.
Science 304, 441-445.

Xu, P., Widmer, G., Wang, Y., Ozaki, L.S., Alves, J.M., Serrano, M.G., Puiu, D., Manque, P., Akiyoshi, D., Mackey, A.J., Pearson, W.R., Dear, P.H., Bankier, A.T., Peterson, D.L., Abrahamsen, M.S., Kapur, V., Tzipori, S. and Buck, G.A. 2004.  The genome of Cryptosporidium hominis.  Nature 431, 1107-1112.

Pradel, G., Hayton, K., Aravind, L., Iyer, L.M., Abrahamsen, M.S., Bonawitz, A., Mejia, C. and Templeton, T.J.  2004. A multidomain adhesion protein family expressed in Plasmodium falciparum is essential for transmission to the mosquito.  J. Exp. Med. 199, 1533-1544.

 Puiu, D., Enomoto, S., Buck, G. and Abrahamsen, M.S. and Kissinger, J. 2004. CryptoDB: The Cryptosporidium Genome Resource. Nuc. Acids Res. 32, D329-331.

 Templeton, T.J., Lancto, C.A., Vigdorovich, V., London, N.R., Hadsall, K.Z. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  The Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein (COWP) is a member of a multi-gene family and has a homolog in Toxoplasma. Infect. Immun. 72, 980-987.

 Deng, M., Lancto, C.A. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  Cryptosporidium parvum regulation of human epithelial cell gene expression.  Int. J. Parasitol. 34, 73-82.

Malazdrewich, C., Thumbikat, P., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Maheswaran, S.K. 2004. Pharmacological inhibition of Mannheimia haemolytica lipopolysaccharide and leukotoxin-induced cytokine expression in bovine alveolar macrophages.  Microb. Pathog. 36, 159-169.

Zhu, G. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004. Cryptosporidium parvum genomics:  impact on research on research and control.  In World Class Parasites:  The Pathogenic Enteric Protozoa: Giradia, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium and Cylcospora (C.R. Sterling and R.D. Adam eds.) Kluwar Academic Publishers, London, Chap 12, pp. 153-163.

Deng, M., Rutherford, M.S. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  Host intestinal epithelial response to Cryptosporidium parvum.  Adv. Drug. Delivery Rev. 56, 869-884.

Madarin, C., Cai, X., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Zhu, G. 2004. Evolution of Cryptosporidium parvum lactate dehydrogenase from malate dehydrogenase by a very recent event of gene duplication. Mol. Biol. Evol. 21, 489-97.

Weiss, D.J., Evanson, O.A., Deng, M. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  Gene expression and antimicrobial activity of bovine macrophages in response to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Vet. Pathol. 41, 326-337.

Cai, X., Lancto, C.A., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Zhu, G. 2004.  Intron-containing b-tubulin transcripts in Cryptosporidium parvum cultured in vitro. Microbiology 150, 1191-1195.

Templeton, T.J., Iver, L., Anantharaman, V., Enomoto, S., Abrahante, J.E., Subramanian, G., Hoffman, S.L., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Avravind, L. 2004.  Comparative analysis of apicomplexa and genomic diversity in eukaryotes.  Genome Res. 14, 1686-1695.

Huang, J., Mullapudi, N., Lancto, C.A., Scott, M., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Kissinger, J.C. 2004. Phylogenomic evidence supports past endosymbiosis and intracellular and horizontal gene transfer in Cryptosporidium parvum. Genome Biol. 5, R88

Sowokinos, J.R., Vigdorovich V., and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  Molecular cloning and sequence variation of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase cDNAs from potatoes sensitive and resistant to cold sweetening. J. Plant Physiol. 161, 947-956.

Weiss, D.J., Evanson, O.A., Deng, M. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2004.  Sequential patterns of gene expression by bovine monocyte-derived macrophages associated with ingestion of mycobacterial organisms.  Microb. Pathog. 37, 215-24

Lahmers, K.K., Norimine, J., Abrahamsen, M.S., Palmer, G.H. and Brown, W.C. 2005.  The CD4+ T-cell immunodominant Anaplasma marginale major surface protein 2 stimulates g/d T cell clones that express unique T cell receptors. J. Leuk. Biol. 77, 199-208.

 Grehan, J.F., Levay-Young, B.K., Benson, B.A., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Dalmasso, A.P. 2005.  aGal Ligation of pig endothelial cells induces protection from complement and apoptosis independently of NF-kB and inflammatory changes.  Am. J. Transplant. 5, 712-719.

 Deng, M., Liu, J., Lancto, C.A., Pelak, C.N. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2005.  Regulation of apoptotic pathways in bovine g/d T Cells.  Vet. Immun. Immunopath. 105, 15-23.

 Palok, A., Wilson, H.L., Rawlyk, N.A., Jalal, S., Kaushik, R.S., Begg, A.A., Potter, A.A., Babiuk, L.A., Abrahamsen, M.S. and Griebel, P.J. 2005.  Microarray analysis of gene expression following preparation of sterile intestinal “loops” in calves. Can. J. Animal Sci. 85, 13-22.

 Weiss, D.J., Evanson, O.A., de Souza, C. and Abrahamsen, M.S. 2005.  A critical role of interleukin-10 in the response of bovine macrophages to infection by Mycobacterium avium subsp paratuberculosis.  Am. J. Vet. Res. 66, 721-726.

Current Funding
“Graduate Studies in Animal Health and Microbial Genomics,” USDA National Needs Fellowship.

“Purine Metabolism in Cryptosporidium parvum.” NIH.

“Bovine Intestinal Epithelial Cell Response to Cryptosporidium,” USDA NRI-CRGP.  

“Research Opportunities for Veterinary Students,” USDA Challenge Grant.

“Functional Genomics of Bovine g/d T cells,”  USDA IFAFS.


Honors and Awards
NIH New Investigator Award. 1994.

3M Faculty Research Award. 1999.

Molecular Veterinary Biosciences Graduate Program Award for Exceptional Teaching. 1998, 2000

Shidong Ma Ph.D. Candidate, Immunology and Cell Biology