Due to the poor safety and efficacy of current drugs, new treatments for African trypanosomiasis are required. Sleeping sickness is caused by the parasite, trypanosome brucei that can cross the blood-brain barrier, leading to morbidity and death if untreated. Sequencing is currently being used to study chemicals that can force the parasite into a non-transmissible form, as a way to prevent transmission. By understanding the life cycle of the parasite, ways in which it evades the immune system and novel guide RNAs may help us develop more effective drugs. For more information on applications of Illumina technology in the field of Microbial Genomics, please visit us at Illumina: Microbial Genomics http://www.illumina.com/applications/microbiology.ilmn Products: HiSeq: http://systems.illumina.com/systems/hiseq_2500_1500.ilmn Publication Links: PMID: 24442893 | MacGregor P., et al. (2014): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24442893 PMID: 24731931 | Manna P.T., et al. (2014): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24731931 PMID: 24174546 | Koslowsky D., et al. (2014): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24174546 Publication Research Reviews: Virus Detection and Research: http://www.illumina.com/documents/products/research_reviews/viral_detection_research_review.pdf Metagenomics 2nd Edition: http://www.illumina.com/documents/products/research_reviews/metagenomics_research_review.pdf The Science Mondays (SciMon) series is brought to you by Illumina http://www.illumina.com/ Illumina hosts Swati Kadam, Ph.D., Scientific Liaison, Scientific Affairs and Jacques Retief, Associate Director Scientific Affairs deliver 5 minutes of scientific enlightenment on the latest discoveries. Keywords: Small RNA, RNA sequencing, Sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei, tsetse fly, glycoprotein, cell surface, guide RNA, parasite, African trypanosomiasis, drugs, transmission, immune system, variable surface glycoprotein, Illumina,