Erick Aroko

The general aim of my project is to further our knowledge of the function of the surface coat of African trypanosomes. Due to the ease of cultivation and relevance as a human pathogen T. brucei has served as a main model for studies on the structure and function of the VSG and the coat it forms, though many questions remain even here. Way less is known about the surface coats of other African trypanosome species. However, it is clear that differences exist both in VSG structure and coat composition.