Christopher Fernandez-Prada, DVM., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant professor (Veterinary Parasitology)
Head of Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory
Department of Pathology and Microbiology
Faculté de médecine vétérinaire
3200, Sicotte Street, Suite 3119-4
St-Hyacinthe, QC J2S 2M2
Université de Montréal
Email: christopher.fernandez.prada@umontreal.ca
Research Interests:
Our lab is focused in the development of whole-genome methods aiming to expedite the discovery of new drug targets as well as the development of reliable vaccines against protozoan pathogens, while increasing our current understanding of parasitic infections (host-parasite interactions).
The specific objectives of my research program are to:
• Discover and investigate novel lipid-related molecular characters responsible for the development of drug resistance and treatment failure in protozoan infections.
• Develop novel methods for the genetic manipulation of protozoan parasites.
• Develop novel methods for understanding host-parasite interactions in a realistic in vivo environment: “Cryptosporidium and the microbiome”
• Develop novel high-throughput screening approaches able to target different life-stages of these zoonotic parasites.
• Develop next-generation vaccines against Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Leishmania.
Keywords: Drug resistance, Next-generation genomics, Protozoan parasites, Leishmania, Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Zoonotic, Vaccines
Recent Publications:
Fernandez-Prada C, et al. (2017). Omics and their impact in the development of chemotherapy against Leishmania. In: Drug Discovery for Leishmaniasis. L. Rivas and C Gil. Royal Society of Chemistry (UK).
Fernandez-Prada C, et al. (2016). Different mutations in a P-type ATPase transporter in Leishmania lead to cross resistance to two leading drugs by distinct mechanisms. PLoS Neglected and Tropical Diseases. 10(12): e0005171
Gazanion E, Fernandez-Prada C, et al. (2016). Cos-Seq for high- throughput identification of drug target and resistance mechanisms in the protozoan parasite Leishmania. PNAS, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 113(21): E3012-21.
Leprohon P, Fernandez-Prada C, et al. (2015). Drug resistance analysis by next generation sequencing in Leishmania. International journal for parasitology. Drugs and drug resistance. 5(1): 26-35.