580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Key research themes
1. How has the Giemsa stain been historically developed and optimized for parasite detection and histological applications?
This research area investigates the historical evolution, chemical principles, and methodological refinements of the Giemsa stain, a critical dye used for detecting malaria parasites and other microorganisms, as well as its application in histology for differentiating cellular components. Understanding this theme matters because it elucidates how chemical innovations and staining protocols enhance microscopic diagnostics in medical parasitology and pathology.
Key finding: The paper documents the origins of biological staining from early carmine stains to the chemically stable methylene blue eosinate formulations developed by Gustav Giemsa in the early 20th century. It highlights Giemsa's... Read more
Key finding: The study introduces an AI-based diagnostic support system trained on Giemsa-stained microscopic images of Leishmania parasites. The model, particularly YOLOV5, achieved a mean average precision (MAP) of 73%, outperforming... Read more
Key finding: This epidemiological study used Giemsa stain microscopy to confirm cutaneous leishmaniasis in 374 patients, correlating clinical features with microscopic identification of amastigotes. It confirms the stain's ongoing... Read more
2. What are the current advancements and challenges in developing alternative or complementary staining techniques to Giemsa for blood cell morphology?
This theme explores experimental efforts to find natural dye alternatives and optimize staining for hematological diagnostics, focusing on peripheral blood smear morphology. Research in this area is significant due to potential benefits in cost, accessibility, environmental impact, and staining quality improvements especially in resource-limited settings.
Key finding: This experimental study compared traditional Giemsa stain with natural anthocyanin-based dyes from purple sweet potato and purple cabbage at various concentrations. Purple cabbage extracts demonstrated superior ability to... Read more
3. How is Giemsa stain employed and improved within epidemiological surveillance of malaria and related hemoparasitic infections in endemic regions?
This area focuses on the diagnostic role of Giemsa-stained blood smears in monitoring malaria prevalence, parasite species identification, and epidemiological assessment in endemic populations, which is crucial for guiding control efforts, treatment policies, and understanding asymptomatic reservoirs.
Key finding: This study used Giemsa thick and thin blood smear microscopy to identify plasmodium falciparum infections in 140 pregnant women, revealing a high prevalence rate of 42.9%, especially in younger and primigravid women. The... Read more
Key finding: By combining Giemsa-based microscopy with PCR and rapid diagnostic tests, this community-level study found a 23.5% prevalence of Plasmodium spp. via microscopy and identified parasite species distribution and infection... Read more
Key finding: Employing Giemsa-stained blood films to ascertain asymptomatic malaria infections, the study demonstrated a high burden of subclinical Plasmodium infections in children, emphasizing asymptomatic reservoirs' significance in... Read more