Research into Acanthamoeba highlighted during royal visit

Dr Naveed Khan, lecturer in microbiology at Birbeck, University of London, discussed his work with Her Royal Highness Ð who is Chancellor of the university Ð and his aims to understand the basic molecular mechanisms of the serious infection further.
Approximately 10-15 people out of 100,000 contact lens wearers are reported as infected by the parasite in the UK every year, but Dr Khan believes the actual number of cases could be much higher.
'Misdiagnosis of Acanthamoeba is common practice in the UK and worldwide,' he said. 'This is due to a lack of expertise in identifying this relatively new organism.'
He said that in some cases people in Britain have lost an eye because of the infection and even then the organism is not diagnosed.
'Quite frequently, we only hear about these cases in the lab when it is too late,' he said. 'There has to be continued awareness about these emerging pathogens, which are causing serious infections and affecting human health and increasing burdens on our economy.'
Dr Khan's research involves growing the outside layer of the cornea from a human eye in culture to determine 'how the parasite produces so much damage that it results in blindness'. His team is also using a complete cornea model, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia, to investigate infection in the context of the whole eye.
'There are only a couple of drugs available for this infection. More worryingly, Acanthamoeba is becoming resistant, so there is no effective treatment, it is simply a matter of trial and error. It's very obvious that we have to find another approach.'
Dr Khan and his team are investigating how parasites, like Acanthamoeba, and other infectious diseases, such as malaria, cross over from the bloodstream to the central nervous system, breaking through the blood-brain barrier, which usually prevents the entry of micro-organisms and molecules.
Using a unique model of the blood-brain barrier, developed by isolating human brain tissue, Dr Khan hopes to be better able to determine drug effectiveness. His research is funded by grants from the British Council for Prevention of Blindness, the Royal Society and the Nuffield Foundation.
He met The Princess Royal during her tour of the College's £18.5m campus consolidation project.
Readers can email Dr Khan at: n.khanbbk.ac.ukA researcher studying new approaches to dealing with the Acanthamoeba infection, which can develop when contact lenses are misused, met The Princess Royal earlier this week.
Dr Naveed Khan, lecturer in microbiology at Birbeck, University of London, discussed his work with Her Royal Highness Ð who is Chancellor of the university Ð and his aims to understand the basic molecular mechanisms of the serious infection further.
Approximately 10-15 people out of 100,000 contact lens wearers are reported as infected by the parasite in the UK every year, but Dr Khan believes the actual number of cases could be much higher.
'Misdiagnosis of Acanthamoeba is common practice in the UK and worldwide,' he said. 'This is due to a lack of expertise in identifying this relatively new organism.'
He said that in some cases people in Britain have lost an eye because of the infection and even then the organism is not diagnosed.
'Quite frequently, we only hear about these cases in the lab when it is too late,' he said. 'There has to be continued awareness about these emerging pathogens, which are causing serious infections and affecting human health and increasing burdens on our economy.'
Dr Khan's research involves growing the outside layer of the cornea from a human eye in culture to determine 'how the parasite produces so much damage that it results in blindness'. His team is also using a complete cornea model, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia, to investigate infection in the context of the whole eye.
'There are only a couple of drugs available for this infection. More worryingly, Acanthamoeba is becoming resistant, so there is no effective treatment, it is simply a matter of trial and error. It's very obvious that we have to find another approach.'
Dr Khan and his team are investigating how parasites, like Acanthamoeba, and other infectious diseases, such as malaria, cross over from the bloodstream to the central nervous system, breaking through the blood-brain barrier, which usually prevents the entry of micro-organisms and molecules.
Using a unique model of the blood-brain barrier, developed by isolating human brain tissue, Dr Khan hopes to be better able to determine drug effectiveness. His research is funded by grants from the British Council for Prevention of Blindness, the Royal Society and the Nuffield Foundation.
He met The Princess Royal during her tour of the College's £18.5m campus consolidation project.
Readers can email Dr Khan at: n.khanbbk.ac.uk