معرفی
Bjorn F Kafsack is an Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, where he has held this position since 2022. His research is centered on malaria parasite biology, particularly the developmental regulation and transcriptional plasticity of Plasmodium falciparum, with a focus on immune evasion mechanisms and sexual differentiation.
Education:
- Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University (2008)
- M.H.S., The Johns Hopkins University (2006)
- M.S., The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Bioinformatics
- B.S., University of Washington (2001)
Research Focus: Kafsack’s laboratory investigates how malaria parasites adapt to host immune pressures through epigenetic regulation, transcriptional reprogramming, and nutrient sensing. His work integrates single-cell genomics, chemical biology, and functional genomics to uncover new drug targets and understand parasite transmission biology.
Publication Trends: His recent articles (2022–2025) emphasize transcriptional plasticity, antigenic variation, and proteasome targeting in P. falciparum. These studies reveal mechanisms of immune evasion, sexual commitment, and stress adaptation, often leveraging CRISPR-based tools and high-resolution transcriptomics.
Funding & Leadership:
- Principal Investigator, NIH/NIAID project on Babesia inhibitor targets (2022–2025)
- Principal Investigator, ongoing NIH-funded malaria research (2019–2025)
- Co-Investigator, multi-site parasite biology consortium (2018–2024)
Laboratory & Teams: Kafsack leads a multidisciplinary team at Weill Cornell, collaborating with chemical biologists, parasitologists, and computational biologists to advance antimalarial strategies and train next-generation scientists in infectious disease research.
