TTU and TTUHSC Research Collaboration Leads to Possible Drug Targets for Leishmaniasis

(from left to right) Andrey Karamyshev, PhD, from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and Zemfira Karamysheva, PhD, from Texas Tech University (TTU)

Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease, which means it affects not only humans, but also other animals such as dogs, horses, rodents, armadillos and many others. It can appear in several forms, depending on the strain involved and the condition of the host’s immune system. Those infected with cutaneous leishmaniasis experience painful skin ulcers, while those who contract mucocutaneous leishmaniasis develop sores and damaged tissue in the mouth, on the lips or in the mucous membranes of the nose.

To help address the dearth of leishmaniasis treatment options, a team of researchers led by Zemfira Karamysheva, Ph.D., from Texas Tech University (TTU) and Andrey Karamyshev, Ph.D., from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) recently completed a study to determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for producing antimony drug resistance in Leishmania parasites.