Samarchith P. Kurup

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Associate Professor

Education

Education:

2013 Ph.D., Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
2008 MVSc., Indian Veterinary Research Institute, UP, India
2006 DVM Kerala Agricultural University, Kerala, India

Research

Lab office:

326 Coverdell

Research Interests:

Research in the Kurup lab is focused on understanding the mechanism of natural and acquired immunity to liver-stage malaria. We investigate the cellular and molecular pathways that help detect Plasmodium in the infected hepatocytes and help drive immunity to the parasite.

Selected Publications

Marques-da-Silva C, Schmidt-Silva C, Bowers C, Charles-Chess NAE, Shiau, JC, Park E-S, Yuan Z, Kim B-H, Kyle DE, Harty JT, MacMicking JD, Kurup SP. Type I interferons induce guanylate-binding proteins and lysosomal defense in hepatocytes to control malaria., Cell Host Microbe; 33(4):529-544.e9 (2025)
Marques-da-Silva C, Schmidt-Silva C, Kurup SP. Hepatocytes and the art of killing Plasmodium softly., Trends in Parasitology; 40(6) 466-476 (2024)
Marques-da-Silva C, Schmidt-Silva C, Baptista RP, Kurup SP. Inherently Reduced Expression of ASC Restricts Caspase-1 Processing in Hepatocytes and Promotes Plasmodium Infection., Journal of Immunology; 212 (4): 596-606 (2024)
Marques-da-Silva C, Poudel B, Baptista RP, Peissig K, Hancox LS, Shiau JC, Pewe LL, Shears MJ, Kanneganti T-D, Sinnis P, Kyle DE, Gurung P, Harty JT, Kurup SP. AIM2 Sensors Mediate Immunity to Plasmodium Infection in Hepatocytes., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; 120 (2) e2210181120 (2023).
Marques-da-Silva C, Peissig K, Walker MP, Shiau JC, Kyle DE, Vijay R, Lindner SE, Kurup SP. Direct type I Interferon signaling in hepatocytes controls malaria., Cell Reports; 40(3):111098 (2022).
Kurup SP, Butler NS, Harty JT., T cell-mediated immunity to malaria, Nature Reviews Immunology 9(7):457-471 (2019)
Kurup SP, Anthony SA, Hancox LS, Vijay R, Pewe LL, Moioffer SJ, Sompallae R, Janse CJ, Khan SM, Harty JT. Monocyte-Derived CD11c+ Cells Acquire Plasmodium from Hepatocytes to Prime CD8 T Cell Immunity to Liver-Stage Malaria, Cell Host & Microbe; 10;25(4):565-577.e6 (2019)
Kurup SP, Obeng-Adjei N, Anthony SM, Traore B, Doumbo OK, Butler NS, Crompton PD, Harty JT., Regulatory T cells impede acute and long-term immunity to blood-stage malaria through CTLA-4, Nature Medicine; 23(10):1220-1225 (2017)
Kurup SP, Tarleton RL., The Trypanosoma cruzi Flagellum Is Discarded via Asymmetric Cell Division following Invasion and Provides Early Targets for Protective CD8+ T Cells., Cell Host & Microbe; 16(4): 439-49 (2014).
Kurup SP, Tarleton RL., Perpetual expression of PAMPs necessary for optimal control and clearance of a persistent pathogen, Nature Communications; 4:2616 (2013).