Confocal microscope image of embryonic mouse forepaw

Development of drugs against malaria

Collaboration between NIMR’s Division of Parasitology and the MRC Technology Centre for Therapeutics Discovery has made substantial progress in identifying highly effective inhibitors of a malaria parasite kinase that has been implicated in parasite development and invasion of red blood cells.

The kinase phosphorylates two components of an acto-myosin motor that drives the invasion process. Such inhibitors will prevent the multiplication of the parasite in the blood stream, which is the stage of the life cycle responsible for the disease.

There is an urgent need for new drugs to help control and potentially eliminate malaria and the hope is that the inhibitors identified in this collaboration will be developed into such therapies.

Parasites developing in a red blood cell

Parasites developing in a red blood cell

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Each blue spot is an individual nucleus detected with a DNA-binding stain. The periphery of each parasite is marked by the red stain which identifies one of the phosphorylated proteins of the motor complex and the green stain identifies a protein essential for invasion of fresh red cells. The parasites will burst out of this red blood cell and each will bind to and invade a new cell where the cycle of development and multiplication will be repeated.

Technology Transfer

 

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