Johns Hopkins Universtiy, Postdoc University of Glasgow, Ph.D., 1980 University of Georgia, B.S., 1976

My laboratory is interested in the molecular and biochemical basis of parasitic diseases.  We are currently studying African trypanosomes which are important protozoan parasites causing human African sleeping sickness and Nagana in cattle.  We have made important contributions to the understanding the biology of these parasites and have investigated the underlying mechanisms and function of gene expression, RNA editing, human innate immunity to trypanosome infection and the role of membrane nanotubes and extracellular vesicles (EVs) in communication between trypanosomes and with host cells. Research in the Hajduk laboratory has been funded by NIH, WHO and the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

1. Ochsenreiter, T., Anderson, S., Wood Z.A. and Hajduk S.L. (2008) Alternative RNA editing produces a novel protein involved in mitochondrial DNA maintenance in trypanosomes. Molec. Cell. Biol. 28, 5595-604. (Cover article) PMID: 18606780. 2. Sykes S.E. and Hajduk S.L. (2013) Dual functions of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase E2 in the krebs cycle and mitochondrial DNA inheritance in Trypanosoma brucei. Eukaryot. Cell 12:78-90. PMID: 23125353 3. Sykes, S.E., Szempruch, A., and Hajduk, S.L. (2015) The Krebs cycle enzyme -ketoglutarate decarboxylase is an essential glycosomal protein in bloodstream African trypanosomes. Eukaryot. Cell 14, 206-215 (Cover article) 4. Szempruch, A.J., Choudhury, R., Wang, Z., and Hajduk, S.L. (2015) In vivo analysis of trypanosome mitochondrial RNA function by artificial site-specific RNA endonuclase mediated knockdown. RNA 21, 1781-1789. PMID: 26264591 1. Kieft, R., Capewell, P., Turner, M., MacLeod, A., and Hajduk, S.L. (2010) Reduced Expression of the Haptoblobin/Hemoglobin Receptor Results in Resistance to Human Innate Immunity in Trypanosoma brucei gambiense. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 107, 16137-16141. PMID: 20805508. 2. Stephens, N. and Hajduk, S.L. (2011) Endosomal localization of a GPI-anchored protein in African trypanosomes confers human infectivity. Eukaryotic Cell 10, 1023-1033. PMID:21705681 3. Harrington, J.M., Scelsi, C., Hartel, A., Jones, N.G., Engstler, M., Capewell, P., Macleod, A., and Hajduk, S. (2012) Novel African trypanocidal agents: membrane rigidifying peptides. PLoS One. 7:e44384 PMID: 22970207 4. DeJesus, E., Kieft, R., Albright, B., and Hajduk, S.L. (2013) A single amino acid substitution in the Trypanosoma brucei gambiense haptoglobin-hemoglobin receptor abolishes TLF-1 binding. PLoS Pathogens 9, e1003317. PMID: 23637606. 5. Harrington, J.M., Nishanova, T., Pena, S., Scelsi, C.L., Widener, J. and Hajduk, S.L. (2014) A retained secretory signal peptide mediates HDL assembly and function of haptoglobin related protein. J. Biol. Chem. 289, 24800-24820. PMID: 25037218. 6. Styer, A., and Hajduk, S.L. (2015) Trypanosome lytic factor initiates peroxide induced osmotic lysis of Trypanosoma brucei. J. Biol. Chem. December 8 [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 26645690 7. Hajduk, S.L., Kieft, R., Styer, A., Szempruch, A.J. and Harrington, J.M. (2016) Five questions about Trypanosome Lytic Factor. PLoS Path (Invited review) 1. Szempruch A.J., Dennison L.W., Sykes S.E., Kieft R., Becker A.C., Gartrell A., Martin W.J., Nakayasu E.S., Almeida I.C., Hajduk S.L. and J.M. Harrington. (2016) Extracellular vesicles from Trypanosoma brucei mediate virulence factor transfer and cause host anemia. Cell 164, 246-257. PMID:26771494. 2. Szempruch A.J. and Hajduk, S.L. (2016) Tissue tropism in human infections by African trypanosomes. BioEssays (invited review).