Education

Salve Regina University B.S. Biology, Magna Cum Laude

Medical College of Virginia-Virginia Commonwealth University Ph.D. Microbiology and Immunology

National Institutes of Health, The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases Senior Research Fellow Microbiology and Immunology

Interests

Memberships

Association of American Colleges and Universities

American Association of University Professors

The American Society for Cell Biology

The Medical College of Virginia Alumni Association

The American Society for Microbiology, Division H (Genetics and Molecular Biology).

Publications/Papers

“Identification and Characterization of the Gene Encoding a Secretory Lipase in the Human Pathogen Leishmania donovani” (with B. Dodson), New England Association of Parasitologists 8th Annual Meeting, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Boston, MA, Oct 2008. Presentation

“A Lipase Secreted by the Human Pathogen Leishmania donovani is encoded by LdLIP3” (with others), Keystone Symposium (S4): Pathogenesis and Control of Emerging Infections and Drug-Resistant Organisms, Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, October 2008. Presentation

“LdLIP3 encodes a secreted lipase in the human pathogen Leishmania donovani” (with others), 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, New Orleans, LA, December 2008. Presentation

“Cloning and Sequencing of the Leishmania tarentolae Beta (ß) Tubulin Gene” (with others), 67th Eastern New England Biology Conference, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, MA, April 2009. Presentation

Medeiros, J.* and Shakarian, A.M. (2005) The Identification and Characterization of Three Lipase Genes/Proteins from Leishmania Using a Genomics Approach. The 18th Annual NSF-EPSCoR National Conference. September 25-29,Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. Presentation

McGugan, G. C, Shakarian, A.M., Joshi, M. B., Dwyer, D. M. (2005) Identification and Characterization of Leishmania Lipases. The 16th Annual Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting. Sept. 11th-15rd, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Medeiros, J.* and Shakarian, A.M. (2005) Identification and Molecular Characterization of a Secretory Lipase Gene in Leishmania donovani Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Program. Student Poster Day August17, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. Presentation

Carroll, F.*, Obillo,E.*, Symington, S. and Shakarian, A.M. (2005)Identification in Characterization of Lipase Activity Secreted by Crithidia fasiculata and Crithidia lucilae. . Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Program. Student Poster Day August17, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. Presentation

Brunelli, B.* and. Shakarian, A. M. (2005) Identification and Molecular Characterization of a Lipase Gene in Leishmania mexicana. Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Program. Student Poster Day August 17, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. Presentation

McGugan, G., Dwyer, D.M. And Shakarian, A.M. (2005) Characterization of three putative lipase genes in the human pathogen Leishmania donovani. Northeast Regional IDeA Meeting (INBRE and COBRE). July 17-19, Mount Desert island Biological Laboratories, Bar Harbor, ME. Presentation

McGugan, G., Dwyer, D.M. And Shakarian, A.M. (2005) A genomics approach to the identification and characterization of three putative Leishmania donovani lipase genes. Joint Toxicology Symposium, Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence and Brown University Superfund Basic Research Program.June 17, The University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI. Presentation

Novicelli*, M., Dwyer, D.M. and Shakarian, A.M. (2005) Characterization of a secreted lipase in Leishmania donovani.Rhode Island IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence Winter Retreat Jan. 28, Roger Williams University, Portsmouth, RI. Presentation

Joshi, M., Rogers, M.E., Shakarian, A.M., Yamage, M., Al-Harthi, S.A., Bates, P.A. and Dwyer, D.M. (2004) Molecular characterization, developmental expression and in vivo analysis of the Leishmania mexicana Cht1-chitinase. The 15th Annual Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting. Sept. 19th-23rd, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Joshi, M., Shakarian, A.M., Yamage, M., Rogers, M., Bates, P. and Dwyer, D.M. (2002) Characterization and developmental expression of the Leishmania mexicana chitinase. The 13th Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting. Sept. 22th-26th, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M., Joshi, M., Ghedin, E. and Dwyer, D.M. (2001) Molecular dissection of the functional domains of a unique tartrate-resistant surface membrane acid phosphatase in the primitive human pathogen Leishmania donovani. Abstract#2862. The 11th International Congress on Cell Biology and the 41st American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec 8-12, Washington D.C. Molec. Biol. Cell. 12:S, 520a. Presentation

Joshi, M. Shakarian, A.M. Yamage, M., Rogers, M., Bates, P. and Dwyer, D.M. (2001) The Leishmania mexicana chitinase: its expression and characterization. The 12th Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting. Sept. 12th-16th, Woods Hole, MA. (Meeting cancelled due to 9-11-01 terrorist attacks, abstracts published and distributed) Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (2000) Synthesis of secretory acid phosphatase by several strains of Leishmania major promastigotes. Abstract #201. The Eleventh Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 17-21, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Bogger*, A.N., Ghedin, G., Dwyer, D.M. and Shakarian, A.M. (2000) Targeted disruption of an essential gene in the human pathogen Leishmania donovani. Abstract #33, Pre-IRTA Poster Day Presentation, The National Institutes of Health. March 22, Bethesda, MD. Presentation

Yamage, Y., Bates, P.A., Rogers, M., Dwyer, D.M. and Shakarian, A.M. (1999) Molecular cloning and characterization of a gene encoding the Leishmania mexicana chitinase. Abstract #1059, The 9th International Congress on Cell Biology and the 39th American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec 11-15, Washington D.C. Molec. Biol. Cell. 10(Suppl.):183a. Presentation

Ghedin, E., Debrabant, A., Shakarian, A.M., Engel, J. and Dwyer, D.M. (1999) Trafficking of a GFP chimera in Leishmania is differentially regulated by surface LPG. Abstract #28, Platform Presentation. The Tenth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 12-16, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1998) Differential targeting of developmentally expressed proteins in the primitive eukaryote Leishmania. Abstract #2909,The 8th International Congress on Cell Biology and the 38th American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec 12-16, San Francisco, CA. Molec. Biol. Cell. 9(Suppl.):502a. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M., Ellis, S.L. and Dwyer, D.M. (1998) Developmental expression and differential targeting of acid phosphatase isoforms encoded by polymorphic alleles in Leishmania donovani. Abstract #278, The Ninth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 13-17, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M., Ellis, S.L. and Dwyer, D.M. (1997) Allelic polymorphisms are involved in differential targeting of acid phosphatases in Leishmania donovani. Abstract #1780, The 7th International Congress on Cell Biology and 37th American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec. 13-17, Washington, D.C. Molec. Biol. Cell. 8(Suppl.):306a. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1997) Chi-1 encodes the extracellular chitinase of Leishmania donovani. Abstract #418, The Eighth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 24-28, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1997) Characterization of a gene encoding the extracellular chitinase of Leishmania donovani. Gordon Research Conference, Parasitism Meeting, July 6-10, Newport, RI. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1996) Biochemical and molecular characterization of a chitinase from Leishmania donovani. Abstract #890, The 6th International Congress on Cell Biology and 36th American Society for Cell Biology Annual Meeting, Dec. 7-11, San Francisco, CA. Molec. Biol. Cell 7(Suppl.):153a. Presentation

Ellis, S.L., Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1996) Kala-Azar patients possess antibodies to the Leishmania donovani secretory acid phosphatase. Abstract #572, The 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Dec. 1-5, Baltimore, MD. Amer. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 55(Suppl.):572. Article

Shakarian, A M., Ellis, S.L. and Dwyer, D.M. (1996) The Leishmania donovani secretory acid phosphatase is encoded by two genes of a multi-gene family. Abstract #343, The Seventh Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 15-19, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Ellis, S.L., Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1995) Characterization of SAcP1, a member of the secretory acid phosphatase multi-gene family in Leishmania donovani. Abstract #314, The Sixth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 17-21, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1995) Identification and characterization of a chitinase gene from Leishmania donovani. Abstract #89, Platform Presentation. The Sixth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 17-21, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

*Enriquez, R.M., Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1995) Characterization of the chitinase gene locus in Leishmania spp. And several related kinetoplastid protozoa. Abstract #117, The National Institutes of Health, Summer Research Poster Day, Aug. 4, Bethesda, MD. Presentation

Ellis, S.L., Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1994) Identification of a secretory acid phosphatase multi-gene family in Leishmania donovani. Abstract #130A, The Fifth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 18-22, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Harris-Kerr, C.L., Nunes, L.R., Shakarian, A.M., Short, S.L., Floeter-Winter, L.M. and Buck, G.A. (1993) Characterization of the SL-RNA and rRNA gene promoters in Trypanosoma cruzi. Abstract #21, Platform Presentation, Workshop A: Gene Expression. The Fourth Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 26-29, Woods Hole, MA. Presentation

Shakarian, A.M. and Buck, G.A. (1992) Structural analysis of SL-RNA sequences from several isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi. The Ninth Annual Daniel T. Watts Graduate Student Symposium Day, Oct. 12, The School of Basic Health Sciences, The Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA. Article

Shakarian, A.M. and Buck, G.A. (1992) Analysis of the SL-RNA sequences from diverged strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. Abstract #206, The Third Annual Molecular Parasitology Meeting, Sept. 13-16, Woods Hole, MA. Article

Shakarian, A.M. and Buck, G.A. (1991) Primary sequence comparison of SL-genes in several species of trypanosomes. Abstract #H180, 91st General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, May 5-9, Dallas, TX. Article

Shakarian, A.M. (1993) ©Molecular and structural characterization of SL-genes and transcripts from Trypanosoma cruzi. Ph.D. Dissertation, The Medical College of Virginia-Virginia Commonwealth University. Article

Buck, G.A., Zwierzynski, T.A. and Shakarian, A.M. (1994) Unusual properties of RNA capping in Trypanosoma cruzi. Specificity for the SL-RNA and the U RNAs. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz 89 (Suppl. 1):10-12. Article

Nunes, L.R., Carvalho, M.R., Shakarian, A.M. and Buck, G.A. (1997) The transcription promoter of the spliced leader gene from Trypanosoma cruzi. Gene 188(2):157-168. Article

Shakarian, A.M., Ellis, S.L., Mallinson, D.J., Olafson, R.W., and Dwyer, D.M. (1997) Two tandemly-arrayed genes encode the [histidine] secretory acid phosphatases of Leishmania donovani. Gene 196(1);127-137. Article

Shakarian. A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1998) The Ld Chtl gene encodes the secretory chitinase of the human pathogen Leishmania donovani. Gene 208(2):315-322. Article

Ellis, S.L., Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (1998) Leishmania: Amastigotes synthesize conserved secretory acid phosphatases during human infection. Experimental Parasitology 89:161-168. Article

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D.M. (2000) Pathogenic Leishmania secrete antigenically related chitinases which are encoded by a highly conserved gene locus. Experimental Parasitology 94:238-242. Article

Shakarian, A.M. and Dwyer, D. M. (2000) Structurally conserved soluble acid phosphatases are synthesized and released by Leishmania major promastigotes. Experimental Parasitology 95: 79-84. Article

Duncan, R., Alvarez, R., Jaffe, C.L., Wiese, M., Klutch, M., Shakarian, A. M., Dwyer, D.M. and Nakhasi, H.L. (2001) Early response gene expression during differentiation of cultured Leishmania donovani. Parasitology Research 87: 897-906. Article

Shakarian, A.M., Joshi, M.B. Ghedin, E. and Dwyer, D.M. (2002) Molecular dissection of the functional domains of a unique, tartrate-resistant, surface membrane acid phosphatase in the primitive human pathogen Leishmania donovani. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277(20):17994-8001. Article

Shakarian, A.M., Joshi, M.B. Yamage, M. Ellis, S.L. Debrabant, A. and Dwyer, D.M. (2003) Members of a unique histidine acid phosphatase family are conserved amongst a group of primitive eukaryotic human pathogens. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry 245 (1-2):31-41. Article

Joshi M.B., Rogers M.E., Shakarian A.M., Yamage M., Al-Harthi S.A., Bates P.A., Dwyer D.M. (2005) Molecular characterization, expression and in vivo analysis of LmexCht1: the chitinase of the human pathogen, Leishmania mexicana. Journal of Biological Chemistry 280(5):3847-61. Article

Research and Scholarly Achievements

My research interests focus on investigating the cell and molecular biology of kinetoplastid protozoa. Using Crithidia lucilae as a model system, the longterm goals of this research are to identify and characterize the basic mechanisms which facilitate parasite surivial within their insect vectors and the human host. To that end, the basic biochemical functions of cell membrane and secreted proteins are investigated to elucidate their roles in parasite survival and development. Further, the regulation of their expression is examined through the identification and characteriztion of the genes which encode these parasite specific proteins. Such proteins proven to be unique and essential to the parasite may provide novel approaches for the development of improved diagnostic testing and innovative chemotherapeutic treatment for this important group of human pathogens.

Textbook Reviewer: Chapters 7 and 9, Human Biology, 1st Edition, Belk and Borden, Benjamin Cummings.

Textbook Reviewer: Chapters 12 and 19, Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy, 2nd Edition, Bauman, Benjamin Cummings.

Textbook Reviewer: Chapters 25, 26, 44 and 45, Biology 9th Edition, Pearson Benjamin Cummings

Awards

RI-INBRE Grant: Molecular Targets of Toxicology. Renewal Awarded May1, 2008-April 30, 2009. Salve Regina University Principle Investigator: Alison Shakarian. Project Title: Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of a Secreted Lipase in Leishmania. BRIN/INBRE Grant # P20 RR016457 from the NCRR/NIH.

Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals, 2008-2009, Honors Edition.

Who’s Who of American Women, 2008-2009

Class Schedule

Spring 2010 Schedule