The Giardia cell was selected as a logo, amongst the other parasitic organisms studied at the Institute, because of its unique and aesthetically pleasing structure. It is also because of the research program of Professor Emeritus Ga茅tan Faubert. His research program began in the early 1980s and ended with his retirement in 2010.
Giardia is a major water pollutant of surface water. It is a ubiquitous organism and most of vertebrates serve as its host. The disease, called giardiasis, is characterized by diarrhea and malabsorption. Giardia plays a role in the millions of deaths annually, especially in developing countries, due to diarrheal illness and its sequelae.
The research program of Professor Faubert encompassed the immunological aspect of host-Giardia relationships, the biology of the organism, the pathology of the disease, the importance of Giardia as a water pollutant and the development of a vaccine against the infective stage (cyst) to stop transmission of infection in the environment.
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Dr. Gaetan Faubert
Professor Emeritus in Immuno-Parasitology
