Edna KaneshiroEdna Kaneshiro is a distinguished research professor in the department of biology at the University of Cincinnati where she has been for 43 years. Dr. Kaneshiro's research is on the lipids of eukaryote protists, including free living, parasitic, and pportunistic pathogens. Although work on a number of different protozoa is being performed, Kaneshiro's current focus is on the AIDS-associated opportunistic infection caused by Pneumocystis carinii. This organism causes a type of pneumonia that can lead to the death of immunocompromised individuals. Pneumocystis proliferates extracellularly in the lung alveolus where lipids constitute a major part of lung surfactant. Thus, lipids are thought to be important to the nutrition, physiology and metabolism of the organism. The biosynthesis of pathogen-specific lipids represents potential targets for drug development. She also has an interest in the cell biology and life history of this poorly understood opportunistic infectious agent. Dr. Kaneshiro is an elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy of Microbiology Read More Read Less