Chris Tonkin, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (IMAGE)

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

Chris Tonkin, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

Caption

Researchers from Melbourne's Walter and Eliza Hall Institute have discovered how a common parasite hijacks host cells and stockpiles food so it can lie dormant for decades, possibly changing its host's behavior or personality in the process.

The findings could lead to a vaccine to protect pregnant women from Toxoplasma infection, which carries a serious risk of miscarriage or birth defects, as well as drugs to clear chronic infections in people with compromised immune systems, such as cancer patients.

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Walter and Eliza Hall Institute

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