fra-florini.bsky.social
@fra-florini.bsky.social
I am so excited to share that, starting January 2027, I will join the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh as an Assistant Professor!
August 17, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Shared again the most amazing time with WACCBIP students at the Molecular and Cell Biology Workshop! #WACCBIP #UniversityofGhana
July 25, 2026 at 1:54 PM
Reposted
Registration & abstract submission are open for the 37th Molecular Parasitology Meeting (MPM XXXVII) 🧫
@MJGubbels @Deepali_Ravel @omartheharb
Sept 13–17, 2026 | Woods Hole, MA + virtual
Abstract deadline: June 19
@rmc9z.bsky.social @mjgubbels.bsky.social @omarharb.org
parasitesrule.com/mpm-xxxvii
May 28, 2026 at 1:24 PM
Reposted
Excited to share our new paper, co-led by Gracyn Buenconsejo and me.

Why did a promising anti-#Cryptosporidium drug fail?

We asked whether the parasite itself might already be genetically prepared to escape treatment.
doi.org/10.1038/s415...
#Clofazimine #forwardgenetics
Genomic heterogeneity of NAD(P)H dehydrogenase predisposes Cryptosporidium to clofazimine resistance - Nature Microbiology
Forward and reverse genetics identifies the mode of action of clofazimine in the parasite Cryptosporidium. The genomic locus encoding the target is heterogeneous, and a resistance-conferring allele is...
doi.org
May 13, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Reposted
🚨New paper out 🚨 Excited to see this work from Joe Visone and me published! We dissect the molecular mechanisms behind var2csa transcription and translation. Take a look👇 link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Mechanistic insights into coordinated var transcriptional switching in malaria parasites - The EMBO Journal
The exceptional virulence of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, is attributed to the adhesive properties of infected red blood cells and the parasite’s ability to avoid antibody recogn...
link.springer.com
March 18, 2026 at 3:44 PM
If you are searching for a postdoc position or know someone who does, cannot recommend this position enough!
🚨 Postdoc position 🚨
I’m moving back to Switzerland this summer to launch my lab at the University of Zurich and am recruiting a Postdoctoral Fellow (start: late 2026).
Details & application:
jobs.uzh.ch/job-vacancie....

Please share! 😊
UZH: Postdoc
The newly founded Cryptosporidium lab at the Institute of Parasitology focuses on the genetic and transcriptomic basis of parasite virulence and persistence in Cryptosporidium and is committed to incl...
jobs.uzh.ch
February 19, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Reposted
Happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science! Let’s continue to support and celebrate them, and fight for equal opportunities for women in STEM! Shout-out to @shubhabevkal.bsky.social and @fra-florini.bsky.social! You’re the best!
#WomenInScience #WomenInSTEM
February 11, 2026 at 8:13 PM
Reposted
Publication alert! 🔔 Our recent work exploring how Plasmodium uses a Rad51 independent homologous recombination to diversify its var gene repertoire is now published in 🧬 Nucleic Acids Research! @oupprimary.bsky.social @narjournal.bsky.social Read more here.
tinyurl.com/794brb6h
Validate User
tinyurl.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Reposted
New paper out !
Want to learn more about fascinating proteasome biology and Artemisinin resistance in Malaria parasites ? Check out our preprint:

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Stage-specific regulation of the Plasmodium falciparum proteasome activity reveals adaptive rewiring in artemisinin resistance
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is essential for Plasmodium falciparum to maintain protein homeostasis, adapt to proteotoxic stress, and regulate parasite growth and stage transitions. The prote...
www.biorxiv.org
November 26, 2025 at 11:21 PM
Reposted
Our latest story on Clofazimine resistance in Cryptosporidium! What started as a side project turned into one of the most interesting stories.

Genetics 101 😊

#Cryptosporidium #Apicomplexa #Clofazimine #AntimicrobialResistance #AMR #ParasiteResearch

www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1...
Widespread genomic heterogeneity at the type II NAD(P)H dehydrogenase locus predisposes Cryptosporidium to clofazimine resistance
The parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of life-threatening diarrheal disease, and effective treatment is not available. The discovery of potent anti-Cryptosporidium activity of clofazimine, o...
www.biorxiv.org
October 8, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Reposted
🚨 New paper out! 🚨

🧬 Parasite sex as a discovery tool — new insights into Cryptosporidium virulence!

Huge thanks to my co-authors, collaborators & mentors 🙌
#Parasites #Cryptosporidium #Genetics #InfectiousDiseases #ForwardGenetics

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Genetic crosses reveal genomic loci responsible for virulence in Cryptosporidium parvum infection
The relationship between parasite genotype and pathogenesis is largely unknown for Cryptosporidium, a leading cause of diarrheal disease in children. …
www.sciencedirect.com
September 18, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Reposted
🎥 | WATCH | Dr Francesca Florini (@fra-florini.bsky.social | @weillcornell.bsky.social) discusses the immune evasion in malaria using insights from single-cell analysis of Plasmodium falciparum.

The full GRiP-ing seminar is now available on our YouTube channel:

📺 youtu.be/bKU2Cfv79K8?...
July 28, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Had such a wholesome experience this past week, helping with the One Health Research workshop at WACCBIP. So much passion and engagement from the students!
July 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Preprint Alert 🚨 Check out the latest piece of work from the @kirkdeitsch.bsky.social lab, where we characterized the sophisticated molecular layers controlling var2csa expression and antigenic variation in P. falciparum
The molecular basis of coordinated antigen switching enabling chronic infection by human malaria parasites https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.07.16.665170v1
July 17, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Reposted
🚨Out now!

scRNA-seq reveals transcriptional plasticity of var gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum for host immune avoidance by @fra-florini.bsky.social @kirkdeitsch.bsky.social

#MicroSky #Plasmodium 🦠🧬

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
scRNA-seq reveals transcriptional plasticity of var gene expression in Plasmodium falciparum for host immune avoidance - Nature Microbiology
Single-cell transcriptomics revealed that malaria parasites have unexpected flexibility in surface antigen expression, potentially providing parasites with greater adaptive capacity to maintain chroni...
www.nature.com
May 20, 2025 at 2:50 PM
So proud of this work finally out in @natmicrobiol.nature.com! We examined antigenic variation in malaria parasites at single-cell level and found a surprising level of diversity. Make sure to check it out and don’t miss my talk on Thursday to hear about this story! #malaria #scRNA-Seq #EMBLMalaria
May 19, 2025 at 7:53 AM
Something fun (very much needed these days): the @kirkdeitsch.bsky.social and Kirkman labs crushing the CUIMC Team Relay Marathon!
April 28, 2025 at 4:01 PM
There’s a new doctor in the @kirkdeitsch.bsky.social lab and we couldn’t be prouder!
March 28, 2025 at 3:44 PM
March 7, 2025 at 8:02 PM
What an awesome opportunity it was to present my work today at #EMBLInfectionBiology and connect with so many amazing scientists studying #infectionbiology! Great thanks to the organizers for giving me this chance
November 15, 2024 at 8:15 PM