The Carruthers lab seeks to understand survival strategies employed by microbial pathogens during infection. We use the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii(link is external) as a model pathogen because of its genetic and biochemical tractability, well-defined cellular structure, and the availability of excellent rodent models of disease. Toxoplasma replicates in a remarkable variety of cells and organs, causing encephalitis, pneumonia, myocarditis, ocular disease, and congenital birth defects during acute infection. While disease is seen in only a small fraction of the ~2 billion people infected worldwide, the diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis are suboptimal and the disease remains a significant and neglected(link is external) public health problem. In people with healthy immune status, the parasite typically remains in a chronic, encysted state, but the infection can erupt when immune function is compromised such as individuals with HIV/AIDS, organ transplant recipients, or cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.