Publications by authors named "M J Ernest"

Protein biomarker discovery in human biological fluids has greatly developed over the past two decades thanks to technological advances allowing deeper proteome coverage and higher sample throughput, among others. While blood samples are most commonly investigated due to their moderate ease of collection and high information content, other biological fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and urine are highly relevant for specific pathologies, such as brain and urologic diseases, respectively. Independently of the biofluid of interest, platforms that can robustly handle a large number of samples are essential in the discovery phase of a clinical study.

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The consequences of climate change along with diverse food regulations and agricultural practices worldwide are complexifying the occurrence and management of chemical contaminants in food. In this context, we present an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) approach for the simultaneous identification and quantitation of over 1100 pesticide residues, mycotoxins, and plant toxins in cereals and fruits and vegetables. Analytical conditions were optimized to maximize the scope of the targeted molecules, the reliability of compound identification, and quantification performance within a single method.

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parasites are the etiological agents of malaria, a disease responsible for over half a million deaths annually. Successful completion of the parasite's life cycle in the vertebrate host and transmission to a mosquito vector is contingent upon the ability of the parasite to evade the host's defenses. The extracellular stages of the parasite, including gametes and sporozoites, must evade complement attack in both the mammalian host and in the blood ingested by the mosquito vector.

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Article Synopsis
  • Identifying endocrine-active compounds in food is crucial, as current methods mostly detect known substances without revealing their biological effects; bioassays can help identify unknown active substances and their interactions.
  • The study employed High Performance Thin-Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) with bioassays like the ERα-CALUX and p-YES to analyze soy isolates for estrogen receptor activation.
  • The research discovered seven isoflavones in soy, with genistein and daidzein identified as the primary compounds responsible for estrogenic activity, confirming their roles through combined analytical and bioassay data.
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Malaria inflicts the highest rate of morbidity and mortality among the vector-borne diseases. The dramatic bottleneck of parasite numbers that occurs in the gut of the obligatory mosquito vector provides a promising target for novel control strategies. Using single-cell transcriptomics, we analyzed Plasmodium falciparum development in the mosquito gut, from unfertilized female gametes through the first 20 h after blood feeding, including the zygote and ookinete stages.

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