Dr Giulia Getti

Giulia Getti BSc PhD
Senior lecturer in Microbiology

Office: Grenville 222a
Email: G.T.M.Getti@gre.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 8331 8673

Brief Biography:

I graduated from the University of Perugia, Italy, in July 2000 with a degree in Biological Science specializing in Microbiology and Molecular Biology. I worked as a research assistant at Perugia University for a year after which I moved to London where I started a PhD on 'Interaction between Leishmania parasites and mammalian macrophages' in 2003 at the University of Greenwich. I started working at the University of East London as a Research Fellow in 2006 developing standard protocols in proteomics and MALDI-TOF based analytical techniques for the analysis of microbial protein expression.

In 2008 I joined the University of Greenwich as a Senior Lecturer in Microbiology.

Research

• My research focuses on the study of the interaction between Leishmania protozoan parasites and their main host cells, the macrophages. This interaction is at the basis of the development of the infection in humans and it is therefore of fundamental importance in fully understanding the disease. The three Old World Leishmania species studied (L. aethiopica, L. major and L. tropica) are responsible for the cutaneous form of the disease: cutaneous leishmaniasis.
• The infection-related induction of apoptosis (cell suicide) on the host cell was investigated initially. Further analysis involved comparative analysis of the proteome of infected and uninfected cells. The novel differential gel electrophoresis (DIGE) technique paired with MALDI-TOF analysis was used to identify proteins involved in the relationship between parasites and host.
• Another of my research interests is the activity of natural products on the parasites and the infection. A semi-automated method to detect leishmanicidal activity was optimized on the three Old World species. In collaboration with Kew Gardens and the National Resource Institute 3 compounds showing potent leishmanicidal activity were identified and selected for further studies. Currently over 40 plants extracts provided by the Yucatecan centre for scientific investigation (CICY, http://www.cicy.mx) are being analyzed. The mechanism of action of selected compounds will be studied.

PhD Vacancy

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/jobs/TR531/PhD_Studentship_3_Years/

Publications

Getti, G.T., Aslam, S.N., Humber, D.P., Stevenson, P.C., Cheke, R.A. The effect of cicerfuran, an arylbenzofuran from Cicer bijugum, and related benzofurans and stilbenes on Leishmania aethiopica, L. tropica and L. major. Planta Med. 2006; 72(10):907-11.

Getti, G., Cheke, R., Poole, P., George, J., Humber, D., 2006. Leishmania and its host cell: A complex relationship. In: Medimond (Ed.), ICOPA XI, Glasgow. Proceedings.

Getti, G., Cheke, R., Humber, D., Induction of apoptosis in host cells: a survival mechanism for Leishmania parasites?. Parasitology 2008;135(12):1391-9

Getti, G., Durgadoss, P., Domínguez-Carmona, D., Martín-Quintal, Z., Peraza-Sánchez, S., Peña-Rodríguez, L., M. and Humber, D. Leishmanicidal activity of Yucatecan medicinal plants on Leishmania species responsible for cutaneous leishmaniasis. J Parasitol. 2008 4:1.

Conference Presentations

Getti, G.T, Das, P., Peraza S., Peña, L. M., and Humber, D. Leishmanicidal activity of endemic Mexican plants”. Getti, G.T, Cheke, R.A., Poole P., and Humber, D. “Leishmania-macrophage interaction, a proteomic study”. British Society for Parasitology Spring meeting 2008, Newcastle (2008).

Getti G.T, Cheke R.A.,Humber D.P. Leishmania and its hosts, a deadly relationship. Presentations on Bioscience by Britain's Top Younger Researchers at the House of Commons, 8 May 2006 SET for England.

Getti G.T, Cheke R.A.,Humber D.P. Apoptosis in Leishmania infected macrophages: silent macrophage to macrophage spread. Research in progress, short presentation and posters. Manson Christmas lecture, 19 December 2005 (http://www.rstmh.org/texts/events/19-12-2005_programme.doc)

Getti G.T, Cheke R.A.,Humber D.P. Apoptosis, a survival mechanism for Leishmania parasites? Cell Death by the sea. 12th Euroconference on apoptosis, Chania, Crete, Greece, 17-20 September 2004 (http://ecdo.maich.gr/pdf/12ecdoAbstractsBook.pdf)

Getti G.T., Aslam S.N., Humber D.P., Stevenson P.C., Cheke R.A. The effect of cicerfuran, an arylbenzofuran from Cicer bijugum, and related benzofurans and stilbenes on Leishmania aethiopica, L. tropica and L. major. Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Research in progress, Meeting at Manson house. Short presentation and Posters, London, 11 December 2003. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene: Featured issue; 97(6): 625.

Course Participation

Giulia welcomes enquiries from potential collaborators regarding these and future projects.

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