Signalling During Red Blood Cell Invasion By Plasmodium Falciparum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$357,414.00
Summary
Malaria is one of the world's most devastating infectious diseases and is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium falciparum. AMA1 is a parasite surface protein crucial for blood cell invasion but how it works is not understood. We are investigating if AMA1 plays a role in helping the parasite sense when it has contacted a blood cell and should invade. Discovering how parasites attach to and invade bloods cells is a priority for the development of anti-parasite drugs and vaccines
Over the next 5 years my team and I plan to study parasite invasion and blood cell enslavement to guide the design of better vaccines and medicines. Malaria as a deadly parasitic disease caused by large-scale infection of the body’s red blood cells. To design more effective vaccines and improved drugs to globally eliminate malaria we need to improve our understanding of how parasites infect and enslave our blood cells so they can grow rapidly and avoid our immune system.
A Novel Approach To Identify The Specific Antibody Characteristics Important For Protection From Malaria In Pregnant Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,011,223.00
Summary
Antibody protects against malaria, but the specific characteristics of protective antibody are unknown. Pregnant women lack antibody to parasite protein called VAR2CSA, explaining their malaria susceptibility. Using samples from vaccine trials and clinical studies in pregnant women, and a ‘Systems Serology’ approach, we will determine which naturally-acquired or vaccine induced antibodies protect pregnant women from malaria, and how variation in VAR2CSA sequences affects this protection.
Surface Antigens Of Plasmodium Falciparum-infected Erythrocytes And Immunity To Malaria In Humans
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$599,180.00
Summary
Malaria is a leading cause of death globally, particularly among children. Malaria parasites infect red blood cells and multiply inside them, resulting in severe illness if left untreated. Effective treatments are limited and currently there is no vaccine. In human studies, we aim to identify the target antigens of immune responses and immune mechanisms that protect against malaria. With this knowledge, vaccines can be designed against malaria to prevent serious illness and death.
We will investigate malaria, a parasitic disease that kills over 630,000 people a year. We will explore the function of proteins responsible for cleaving and activating a cascade of proteins important in infection of humans and transmission of the parasite to mosquitoes. We will characterize the proteins involved in these critical events, as they are potential targets for drugs.
Development And Application Of Theoretical Models Of Plasmodium Transmission To Guide Malaria Elimination Efforts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$315,401.00
Summary
There is currently a worldwide endeavour to eliminate malaria but there are few tools available to evaluate the impact of intervention strategies in the Asia-Pacific region. This project aims to address this deficiency by developing simulation models of Plasmodium vivax and mixed species infections, and using these new tools to investigate the likely impact of a variety of intervention strategies including bed nets, improved access to treatment and mass drug administration.
Dissecting The Molecular Basis Of The Malaria Parasite-Erythrocyte Tight Junction Complex
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$547,356.00
Summary
The parasites that cause malaria disease must invade the human red blood cell to complete their lifecycle. Invasion requires the formation of a complex interface between parasite and red cell called the Tight Junction. However, this structure's molecular makeup is entirely unknown. Our research will use a combination of state-of-the-art microscopy and genetics to define, for the first time, the junction's organization, providing a critical platform for the development of a malaria vaccine.
Functional Genomic Analysis Of Exported DNA J Molecules In The Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$529,698.00
Summary
Every day 3500 people die of malaria and more than 40% of the world s population is at risk. Malaria is one of the biggest scourges of mankind. This project aims to translate the available genomic data into functional insights using frontier technology to identify new intervention targets for P. falciparum infection. Developing novel targets against malaria is important from a humanitarian point of view, and also to safeguard Australia and its neighbouring regions against the social and economic ....Every day 3500 people die of malaria and more than 40% of the world s population is at risk. Malaria is one of the biggest scourges of mankind. This project aims to translate the available genomic data into functional insights using frontier technology to identify new intervention targets for P. falciparum infection. Developing novel targets against malaria is important from a humanitarian point of view, and also to safeguard Australia and its neighbouring regions against the social and economical implication of this disease. The malaria parasite seeks shelter from the host immune system by hiding in red blood cells, but at the same time it has to stay in contact with the blood environment. This is achieved by export of virulence factors onto the surface of malaria parasite-infected red blood cells, which are essential for the maintenance of malaria infection. Without these virulence factors the body's immune system can get rid of the malaria parasites by itself. For display on the surface the proteins have to pass several membranes and are transferred through the red blood cell. The whole transport and assembly process of the virulence factors into functional units is very complex and requires several helper and co-helper molecules. With the deciphering of the malarial genetic code it became obvious that the parasite displays an unusual large number of co-helper molecules, which are putatively exported into the red blood cell. We will generate transgenic parasites deficient in the expression of these exported co-helper proteins and assess their role on the pathogenesis of this debilitating infectious disease.Read moreRead less
Understanding Whole Cell Protein Trafficking In Plasmodium Parasites
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$466,492.00
Summary
I am a molecular biologist and bioinformatician studying the cell biology of human parasites. I have expertise in the bioinformatic analysis of parasite genomes to predict where proteins will reside in cell, how they participate in metabolic pathways, and how they might be suitable as targets for drugs and vaccines to control parasitic diseases. This fellowship will investigate the cell biology of Plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, using computational and biochemical tools to ....I am a molecular biologist and bioinformatician studying the cell biology of human parasites. I have expertise in the bioinformatic analysis of parasite genomes to predict where proteins will reside in cell, how they participate in metabolic pathways, and how they might be suitable as targets for drugs and vaccines to control parasitic diseases. This fellowship will investigate the cell biology of Plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, using computational and biochemical tools to characterise drug and vaccine targets.Read moreRead less