Dr. Carruthers and his research team study the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis, a disease of humans and animals caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. A cousin of the malaria parasite, T. gondii causes congenital birth defects in infants, loss of vision in otherwise healthy adults or life threatening myocarditis or encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. His team has discovered parasite virulence factors that function in host cell invasion, immune evasion, nutrient acquisition and lytic egress from host cells causing tissue damage and inflammation. His group has also demonstrated the efficacy of novel experimental therapeutic compounds for treating the chronic phase of infection.