Below are recent publications by IM students, faculty, and affiliates. Would you like your research showcased? Send your paper to nlambrec@iastate.edu in time for the next edition!

*Indicates ISU faculty and affiliates 

^Indicates publications by IM students

^Peroutka-Bigus, N. & *Bellaire B. H. Anti-parasitic Activity of Auranofin Against Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri. J Eukaryot Microbiol. 2018. Dec 5. Doi: 10.1111/jeu.12706.

Importance of this work: 
We report that the gold containing anti-rheumatoid drug auranofin is amoebicidal against Naegleria fowleri, the causative agent of the rapidly fatal Primary Ameobic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) infection in humans, frequently referred to as the brain eating amoeba. In vitro studies demonstrated that auranofin significantly reduced amoeba metabolic activity, increased cellular permeability, resulting in significant reduction in amoeba viability at biologically relevant concentrations auranofin. In unrelated studies, other have proposed a neuroprotective function to the drug due to anti-inflammatory activity related to known benefits in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Combined with our results, treatment of N. fowleri infections would likely benefit patients directly through amoebicidal activity and indirectly through reduction in inflammation resulting from meningoencephalitis.