معرفی
Bjorn Kafsack is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He joined the institution in 2015 and leads the Kafsack Lab, where his team investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying developmental transitions in apicomplexan parasites, particularly focusing on sexual differentiation in Plasmodium falciparum.
Research Focus: The lab's primary interest lies in understanding how malaria parasites decide to differentiate into sexual stages (gametocytes) versus continuing asexual replication. Key research areas include:
- Regulation of sexual differentiation in Plasmodium falciparum
- Role of transcriptional activator AP2-G in developmental decisions
- Molecular mechanisms of gene expression and cell signaling in parasites
Education and Training:
- Ph.D. training at Johns Hopkins University and University of Michigan
- Postdoctoral fellowship at Princeton University
- Participated in Biology of Parasitism course (2004)
Lab Team: The Kafsack Lab includes postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and research associates, with past members having progressed to positions at institutions like Genentech, UPenn, and Rockefeller University.
