Exploitation of Extracellular Vesicles via Ellipsometry - Diagnostics of the Liver Fluke

Fasciola hepatica (Fh) infection leads to human/animal fasciolosis causing substantial clinical/subclinical symptoms. We have developed a novel assay based on protein ellipsometry of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to support the diagnostics of Fh. Potential Fh EV markers can be identified through a combined proteomic and bioinformatic pipeline and EV markers are hypothesised to be unique to Fh compared to any host generated EVs. In addition, this project will address whether

Fh EVs pass through the digestive tract and exit the host in faeces as demonstrated for Fh antigens. Objective 1: Determine optimal surface protein markers for Fh extracellular vesicles (EV). Objective 2: Assessment of EV surface protein candidates for Ellipsometry. Objective 3: EV purification from Fh infected and uninfected host faeces.