Office:  7-06 Agricultural Sciences Building
Tel: 12-420-2990
E-mail: jandeli.niemand [at] up.ac.za
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Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory (M2PL)


 

Senior Lecturer

Teaching: 
Lipid and nitrogen metabolism: Academic coordinator and lecturer (BCM 261)
Cell structure and function: Academic coordinator and lecturer​ (BCM 367)
Scientific communication: Examiner (BCM 771)
Research project and report: BSc (Hons) project supervisor( BCM 773)
Advanced Biochemistry: Academic coordinator and lecturer (BCM 775)

Research Interest: M2PL: Niemand Group

Intraerythrocytic eukaryotic parasites responsible for malaria (Plasmodium spp.) and babesiosis (Babesia spp.) proliferate within the unique environment of another eukaryotic cell’s cytosol. Given that these parasites are separated from the environment by both the parasite plasma membrane, as well as the erythrocyte plasma membrane, a variety of different membrane transport processes are required to support survival. My research focus on the membrane transport processes that support both asexual proliferation as well as gametocyte differentiation of malaria parasites. I am especially interested transport processes that is either 1) essential in both asexual stage parasites and gametocytes, thereby allowing the simultaneous targeting in both asexual stage parasites and gametocytes, or 2) gametocyte specific. We aim to prioritize membrane transport proteins essential to intraerythrocytic parasites that can be investigated as drug targets in future drug development programs.

Team:

Co-Investigator:
Prof Lyn-MArie Birkholtz, University of Pretoria, South Africa

MSc Students (Primary supervisor)
Marché Maré
Jean Thomas
Suzelle Voges

Past MSc Students
Shante da Rocha
Eunice Claassen
Fiona Els
Suzan Maboane
Alicia Joshua
Mariska Naude

MSc Students (Co-supervisor)
Sizwe Tshabalala
Christea van Zyl

Past MSc Students (Co-supervisor)
Michel Robberste
Clarissa Abrie
Hilde von Grüning
Jessica Connacher
Riëtte van Biljon

PhD Students (Co-supervisor)
Savanah Watsonn

Past PhD Students (Co-supervisor)
Mariëtte van der Watt
Riëtte van Biljon
 

Recent publications:

1. Niemand J, van Biljon R, van der Watt M, van Heerden A, Reader J, van Wyk R, Orchard L, Chibale K, Llinás M, Birkholtz L. Chemogenomic Fingerprints Associated with Stage-Specific Gametocytocidal Compound Action against Human Malaria Parasites. ACS Infect Dis. 2021 Oct 8;7(10):2904-2916.  
2. Van Biljon R, van Wyk R, Painter H, Orchar, L, Reader J, Niemand J, Llinas M, , and Birkholtz L. (2019) Hierarchical transcriptional control regulates Plasmodium falciparum sexual differentiation. BMC genomics Dec 3;20(1):920. 
3. Van Biljon R, Niemand J, van Wyk R, Clark K, Verlinden B, Abrie C, von Gruning H, Smidt W, Smit A, Reader J, Painter H, Llinas M, Doerig C, and L Birkholtz (2018) Inducing controlled cell cycle arrest and re-entry during aseuxal proliferation of Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Scientific Reports, 8:16581,  Shared first author
4. Niemand, J., Burger, P., Verlinden, B.K., Reader, J., Joubert, A.M., Egan, T.J., Kaiser, A., Louw, A.I., Kirk, K., Phanstiel, O. and Birkholtz, L. (2013) Anthracene-polyamine conjugates inhibit in vitro proliferation of intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 57(6): 2874-2877.
5. Niemand, J., Louw, A.I., Birkholtz, L. and Kirk, K. (2012) Polyamine uptake by the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. International Journal for Parasitology 42910: 921-929.