Coenzyme A synthesis in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum

Funding Activity

Website
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/224245

Funding Status
Closed

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Funded Activity Summary

Malaria is responsible for hundreds of millions of cases and an estimated 1.5-2.7 million deaths each year. The disease is caused by a microscopic parasite which is becoming increasingly resistant to antimalarial drugs. There is a very real possibility that there will soon be parts of the world in which malaria is an untreatable disease, and there is an urgent need to identify new drug targets. This work focuses on a particular biochemical pathway in the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. The pathway mediates the conversion of the nutrient, vitamin B5, into a molecule called Coenzyme A. It plays an essential role in the intraerythrocytic parasite and our preliminary data indicate that components of this pathway hold significant potential as antimalarial drug targets. In this project we will use a range of biochemical and molecular biology approaches to characterise in detail the components of this pathway in the parasite and to explore the possibility that compounds that inhibit this pathway may be of value as much-needed new antimalarial agents.

Funded Activity Details

Start Date: 01-01-2003

End Date: 01-01-2005

Funding Scheme: NHMRC Project Grants

Funding Amount: $428,250.00

Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council

Research Topics

ANZSRC Field of Research (FoR)

Humoural immunology and immunochemistry

ANZSRC Socio-Economic Objective (SEO)

There are no SEO codes available for this funding activity

Other Keywords

Biosynthesis | Chemotherapy | Drug resistance | Malaria | Vitamin metabolism

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