Detail

Keywords

Antimalarials; Functional Food; Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic; Malaria; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Research interests

My main research focus is to develop molecular methods for clinical parasites diagnosis. Molecular diagnosis method development is based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique which is used to amplify or copy nucleic acid. Rapidly accumulating genomic data on parasites are used to design PCR primers directed towards multi-copy gene targets such as the ribosomal and mitochondrial genes, which further improve the sensitivity. Multiplex nucleic acid amplification technology allows simultaneous detection of many parasitic species within a single clinical specimen. For PCR products detection, specific techniques like intercalating agents, methods including fluorescence polarization, TaqMan probes, and Molecular Beacons, are desirable for human diagnostics.

Targets: Malaria parasites (P.  falciparum, P.  vivax, P.  ovale curtisi, P.  ovale wallikeri, P.  malariae and P.  Knowlesi); Diarrheal parasites (Dientamoeba, Entamoeba, Cryptosporidium, Blastocystis, Giardia); Amoebae (Acanthamoeba, Naegleria, Balamuthia)

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

DNA and RNA extraction using commercial kits; Target selection and primer design using online databases, BioEdit and Primer3 softwares; Assays development, optimization and validation using clinical samples, and conventional PCR and real time PCR techniques and instruments. Reference plasmids production by cloning for the assays validation and quatification.

Selected publications

1. Lamien-Meda, A. et al. (2020) ‘A novel 5-Plex qPCR-HRM assay detecting human diarrheal parasites’, Gut Pathogens, 12(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13099-020-00365-6.
2. Lamien-Meda, A. and Leitsch, D. (2019) ‘Identification of the NADH-oxidase gene in Trichomonas vaginalis’, Parasitology Research, 119(2), pp. 683–686. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00436-019-06572-8.
3. Lamien-Meda, A., Fuehrer, H.-P. and Noedl, H. (2019) ‘Data on High Resolution Melting (HRM) and phylogenetic analysis of P. ovale wallikeri and P. ovale curtisi’, Data in Brief, 24, p. 103937. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2019.103937.
4. Lamien-Meda, A., Fuehrer, H.-P. and Noedl, H. (2019) ‘Novel high resolution melting (HRM) and snapback assays for simultaneous detection and differentiation of Plasmodium ovale spp.’, Acta Tropica, 192, pp. 75–81. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.01.018.
5. Lamien-Meda, A. et al. (2015) ‘Quality assessment and antiplasmodial activity of West African Cochlospermum species’, Phytochemistry, 119, pp. 51–61. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.phytochem.2015.09.006.