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The parasite Cryptosporidium is found worldwide and is critically understudied. In the United States, it is the leading cause of diarrhea outbreaks linked to treated recreational water and is the third leading cause of diarrhea associated with animal contact. The disease cryptosporidiosis is exacerbated by malnourishment, leading to prolonged infections and a greater chance of death. The devastating effects first came to light during the 1980s, when Cryptosporidium was recognized as a major cause of chronic diarrhea in HIV-AIDS patients. Yet in the last 40 years, no vaccine has been developed and treatment is limited and largely ineffective.

Cryptosporidium remains resilient due to its oocyst form, which resists water chlorination and survives for prolonged periods in the environment. Oocysts are responsible for transmission and ingesting as few as ten can sicken a healthy adult. Importantly, sexual reproduction of Cryptosporidium in the small intestine results in the formation of more oocysts, which either exit the host or reinfect the intestinal cells. This makes sexual reproduction necessary for both continuous infection and transmission and provides an attractive target for drug and vaccine development. The Walzer Lab at Clemson University studies Cryptosporidium gene regulation, expression, and function across the life cycle with a focus on parasite sex, as blocking this step stops infection. Our favorite approaches include transcriptomics, proteomics, and high-resolution microscopy. We are a part of the Department of Biological Sciences and a member of the Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center (EPIC), a central site for the study of a diverse repertoire of parasitic and fungal pathogens.

The Cryptosporidium Single-Cell Atlas