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Dr Liliane Mukaremera

Dr Liliane Mukaremera

Lecturer

 2844

 01392 722844

 Geoffrey Pope 325

 

Geoffrey Pope Building, University of Exeter , Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD, UK

Overview

Qualifications

2013   PhD Medical Sciences (Microbiology), University of Aberdeen

2009   MSc Medical Molecular Microbiology, University of Aberdeen

2008   Bachelor in Biology (Biotechnology), National University of Rwanda

Career

2019-Present    Lecturer University of Exeter

2014-2018        Postdoctoral Associate, University of Minnesota, Minnesota- USA

2016-2017        Adjunct Professor, St Catherine University, Minnesota- USA

2015-2016        NIH Global Health Fogarty fellow, Kampala-Uganda

2007-2008        Teaching Assistant, National University of Rwanda, Rwanda

Research group links

Research

Research interests

Fungal pathogens cause a wide range of infection from superficial to systemic infections, and are associated with a high rate of mortality generally exceeding 50% of infected people. Most common human fungal pathogens include Aspergillus, Candida and Cryptococcus species. Despite being one of the top human killers, the study of fungal pathogens has been neglected and these pathogens continue to cause death in humans, especially in immunocompromised people. Research on fungal pathogens is therefore desperately needed to understand fungal pathogenesis and create new therapeutics to address the growing burden of fungal infections.

My work focuses on understanding morphological factors, specifically cell wall modifications, which influence C. neoformans pathogenesis and disease outcome. The cell wall is a unique structure to fungi (absent in mammals), and therefore is a great target choice for the development of new antifungal drugs. At present, there are no drug treatments for cryptococcal infection that target the cell wall. We are currently working on characterising C. neoformans cell wall as a potential antifungal drug target.

Publications

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Publications by category


Journal articles

Mukaremera L (2023). The Cryptococcus wall: a different wall for a unique lifestyle. PLoS Pathogens, 19(2).
Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Tugume L, Nuwagira E, Mpoza E, Evans EE, Kiggundu R, Pastick KA, Ssebambulidde K, Akampurira A, et al (2019). Adjunctive sertraline for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19(8), 843-851.
Mukaremera L, McDonald TR, Nielsen JN, Molenaar CJ, Akampurira A, Schutz C, Taseera K, Muzoora C, Meintjes G, Meya DB, et al (2019). The Mouse Inhalation Model of Cryptococcus neoformans Infection Recapitulates Strain Virulence in Humans and Shows that Closely Related Strains can Possess Differential Virulence. Infection and Immunity, 87(5)(5). Abstract.
Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Evans EE, Tugume L, Nuwagira E, Ssebambulidde K, Kiggundu R, Mpoza E, Musubire AK, Bangdiwala AS, et al (2018). Detrimental Outcomes of Unmasking Cryptococcal Meningitis with Recent ART Initiation. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 5(8).
Mpoza E, Mukaremera L, Kundura DA, Akampurira A, Luggya T, Tadeo KK, Pastick KA, Bridge SC, Tugume L, Kiggundu R, et al (2018). Evaluation of a point-of-care immunoassay test kit ‘StrongStep’ for cryptococcal antigen detection. PLOS ONE, 13(1), e0190652-e0190652.
Tugume L, Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Mpoza E, Kiggundu R, Ssebambulidde K, Schutz C, Taseera K, Williams DA, Abassi M, et al (2018). HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Occurring at Relatively Higher CD4 Counts. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 219(6), 877-883.
Ssebambulidde K, Bangdiwala AS, Kwizera R, Kandole TK, Tugume L, Kiggundu R, Mpoza E, Nuwagira E, Williams DA, Lofgren SM, et al (2018). Symptomatic Cryptococcal Antigenemia Presenting as Early Cryptococcal Meningitis with Negative Cerebral Spinal Fluid Analysis. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68(12), 2094-2098.
Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Wagener J, Wiesner DL, Gow NAR, Nielsen K (2018). Titan cell production in Cryptococcus neoformans reshapes the cell wall and capsule composition during infection. The Cell Surface, 1, 15-24.
Hommel B, Mukaremera L, Cordero RJB, Coelho C, Desjardins CA, Sturny-Leclère A, Janbon G, Perfect JR, Fraser JA, Casadevall A, et al (2018). Titan cells formation in Cryptococcus neoformans is finely tuned by environmental conditions and modulated by positive and negative genetic regulators. PLoS Pathogens, 14(5). Abstract.
Mukaremera L, Nielsen K (2017). Adaptive Immunity to Cryptococcus neoformans Infections. Journal of Fungi, 3(4), 64-64.
Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Mora-Montes HM, Gow NAR (2017). Candida albicans yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal morphogenesis differentially affects immune recognition. Frontiers in Immunology, 8(JUN). Abstract.
Wiesner DL, Specht CA, Lee CK, Smith KD, Mukaremera L, Lee ST, Lee CG, Elias JA, Nielsen JN, Boulware DR, et al (2015). Chitin Recognition via Chitotriosidase Promotes Pathologic Type-2 Helper T Cell Responses to Cryptococcal Infection. PLOS Pathogens, 11(3), e1004701-e1004701.
Gerstein AC, Fu MS, Mukaremera L, Li Z, Ormerod KL, Fraser JA, Berman J, Nielsen K (2015). Polyploid Titan Cells Produce Haploid and Aneuploid Progeny to Promote Stress Adaptation. mBio, 6(5). Abstract.
Brown GD, Meintjes G, Kolls JK, Gray C, Horsnell W, Working Group from the EMBO-AIDS Related Mycoses Workshop, Achan B, Alber G, Aloisi M, Armstrong-James D, et al (2014). AIDS-related mycoses: the way forward. Trends Microbiol, 22(3), 107-109. Abstract.  Author URL.
Cheng SC, van de Veerdonk FL, Lenardon M, Stoffels M, Plantinga T, Smeekens S, Rizzetto L, Mukaremera L, Preechasuth K, Cavalieri D, et al (2011). The dectin-1/inflammasome pathway is responsible for the induction of protective T-helper 17 responses that discriminate between yeasts and hyphae of Candida albicans. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 90(2), 357-366. Abstract.

Chapters

Hall RA, Lenardon MD, Alvarez FJ, Nogueira FM, Mukaremera L, Gow NAR (2013). The Candida albicans cell wall: Structure and role in morphogenesis and immune recognition. In  (Ed) The Fungal Cell Wall, 1-26.  Abstract.

Conferences

Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Gow NAR, Nielsen K (2018). Titan cell production reshapes Cryptococcus neoformans cell surface composition in order to modulate and/ or evade the host immune system.  Author URL.
Mukaremera L, Whittington A, Mora-Montes HM, Gow NAR (2012). Candida albicans pseudohypha: Intermediate in physiological and immunological properties between yeast and hyphal cells?.  Author URL.

Publications by year


2023

Mukaremera L (2023). The Cryptococcus wall: a different wall for a unique lifestyle. PLoS Pathogens, 19(2).

2019

Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Tugume L, Nuwagira E, Mpoza E, Evans EE, Kiggundu R, Pastick KA, Ssebambulidde K, Akampurira A, et al (2019). Adjunctive sertraline for HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase 3 trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 19(8), 843-851.
Mukaremera L, MacDonald TR, Nielsen JN, Akampulira A, Schutz C, Taseera K, Muzoora C, Meintjes G, Meya DB, Boulware DR, et al (2019). Closely related Cryptococcus neoformans strains possess differential virulence both in humans and the mouse inhalation model.
Mukaremera L, McDonald TR, Nielsen JN, Molenaar CJ, Akampurira A, Schutz C, Taseera K, Muzoora C, Meintjes G, Meya DB, et al (2019). The Mouse Inhalation Model of Cryptococcus neoformans Infection Recapitulates Strain Virulence in Humans and Shows that Closely Related Strains can Possess Differential Virulence. Infection and Immunity, 87(5)(5). Abstract.

2018

Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Evans EE, Tugume L, Nuwagira E, Ssebambulidde K, Kiggundu R, Mpoza E, Musubire AK, Bangdiwala AS, et al (2018). Detrimental Outcomes of Unmasking Cryptococcal Meningitis with Recent ART Initiation. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 5(8).
Mpoza E, Mukaremera L, Kundura DA, Akampurira A, Luggya T, Tadeo KK, Pastick KA, Bridge SC, Tugume L, Kiggundu R, et al (2018). Evaluation of a point-of-care immunoassay test kit ‘StrongStep’ for cryptococcal antigen detection. PLOS ONE, 13(1), e0190652-e0190652.
Tugume L, Rhein J, Hullsiek KH, Mpoza E, Kiggundu R, Ssebambulidde K, Schutz C, Taseera K, Williams DA, Abassi M, et al (2018). HIV-Associated Cryptococcal Meningitis Occurring at Relatively Higher CD4 Counts. The Journal of Infectious Diseases, 219(6), 877-883.
Ssebambulidde K, Bangdiwala AS, Kwizera R, Kandole TK, Tugume L, Kiggundu R, Mpoza E, Nuwagira E, Williams DA, Lofgren SM, et al (2018). Symptomatic Cryptococcal Antigenemia Presenting as Early Cryptococcal Meningitis with Negative Cerebral Spinal Fluid Analysis. Clinical Infectious Diseases, 68(12), 2094-2098.
Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Wagener J, Wiesner DL, Gow NAR, Nielsen K (2018). Titan cell production in Cryptococcus neoformans reshapes the cell wall and capsule composition during infection. The Cell Surface, 1, 15-24.
Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Gow NAR, Nielsen K (2018). Titan cell production reshapes Cryptococcus neoformans cell surface composition in order to modulate and/ or evade the host immune system.  Author URL.
Hommel B, Mukaremera L, Cordero RJB, Coelho C, Desjardins CA, Sturny-Leclère A, Janbon G, Perfect JR, Fraser JA, Casadevall A, et al (2018). Titan cells formation in Cryptococcus neoformans is finely tuned by environmental conditions and modulated by positive and negative genetic regulators. PLoS Pathogens, 14(5). Abstract.

2017

Mukaremera L, Nielsen K (2017). Adaptive Immunity to Cryptococcus neoformans Infections. Journal of Fungi, 3(4), 64-64.
Mukaremera L, Lee KK, Mora-Montes HM, Gow NAR (2017). Candida albicans yeast, pseudohyphal, and hyphal morphogenesis differentially affects immune recognition. Frontiers in Immunology, 8(JUN). Abstract.
Hommel B, Mukaremera L, Cordero RJB, Coelho C, Desjardins CA, Sturny-Leclère A, Janbon G, Perfect JR, Fraser JA, Casadevall A, et al (2017). Titan cells formation in Cryptococcus neoformans is finely tuned by environmental conditions and modulated by positive and negative genetic regulators.

2015

Wiesner DL, Specht CA, Lee CK, Smith KD, Mukaremera L, Lee ST, Lee CG, Elias JA, Nielsen JN, Boulware DR, et al (2015). Chitin Recognition via Chitotriosidase Promotes Pathologic Type-2 Helper T Cell Responses to Cryptococcal Infection. PLOS Pathogens, 11(3), e1004701-e1004701.
Gerstein AC, Fu MS, Mukaremera L, Li Z, Ormerod KL, Fraser JA, Berman J, Nielsen K (2015). Polyploid Titan Cells Produce Haploid and Aneuploid Progeny to Promote Stress Adaptation. mBio, 6(5). Abstract.

2014

Brown GD, Meintjes G, Kolls JK, Gray C, Horsnell W, Working Group from the EMBO-AIDS Related Mycoses Workshop, Achan B, Alber G, Aloisi M, Armstrong-James D, et al (2014). AIDS-related mycoses: the way forward. Trends Microbiol, 22(3), 107-109. Abstract.  Author URL.

2013

Hall RA, Lenardon MD, Alvarez FJ, Nogueira FM, Mukaremera L, Gow NAR (2013). The Candida albicans cell wall: Structure and role in morphogenesis and immune recognition. In  (Ed) The Fungal Cell Wall, 1-26.  Abstract.

2012

Mukaremera L, Whittington A, Mora-Montes HM, Gow NAR (2012). Candida albicans pseudohypha: Intermediate in physiological and immunological properties between yeast and hyphal cells?.  Author URL.

2011

Cheng SC, van de Veerdonk FL, Lenardon M, Stoffels M, Plantinga T, Smeekens S, Rizzetto L, Mukaremera L, Preechasuth K, Cavalieri D, et al (2011). The dectin-1/inflammasome pathway is responsible for the induction of protective T-helper 17 responses that discriminate between yeasts and hyphae of Candida albicans. Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 90(2), 357-366. Abstract.

Liliane_Mukaremera Details from cache as at 2023-05-29 16:46:28

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