Profile of the month
Benoit Malleret
PhD
Assistant Professor
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
Affliations:
Email: benoit_malleret@nus.edu.sg
Tel: 6516 3289
Research Interest
Our research focuses on the molecular interactions between Plasmodium species and erythrocyte surface receptors, which are crucial for parasite invasion in vertebrate hosts. We are particularly interested in how these interactions differ between reticulocytes (immature red blood cells) and normocytes (mature red blood cells), as the expression of surface receptors changes during erythrocyte maturation. Notably, we have identified reticulocyte-specific receptors such as CD71 and CD98 as key targets for Plasmodium vivax. Our ongoing investigations aim to understand the roles of these and other receptors in different Plasmodium species. Additionally, we are exploring the characterization of host receptors involved with Babesia species, another group of erythrocytic parasites with zoonotic potential. Our lab also employs cutting-edge genomic tools to study tick-borne diseases prevalent in Singapore and Southeast Asia.