Novel Approach to Malaria Genetics Will Help Combat Drug-Resistant Parasites

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scientists from the Center for Infectious Disease Research, in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame and Texas Biomedical Research Institute, have developed a new tool which could rapidly increase our understanding of malaria drug resistance. Artane (Trihexyphenidyl) The research involved the use of malaria parasite genetic crosses with mosquitoes and a humanized mouse model. Center for Infectious Disease Research Professor Stefan Kappe, PhD, and Ashley Vaughan, PhD, worked with University of Notre Dame Professor Michael Ferdig, PhD, and Texas Biomedical Research Institute Professor Tim Anderson, PhD, to co-author their findings on the lethal malaria parasites in the July 1 edition of the journal Nature Methods. “This is a very exciting advancement in malaria research,” said Dr. Viagra Super Force (Sildenafil Citrate + Dapoxetine) with no Rx Vaughan. Tadalis SX (Tadalafil) without Rx “The method will help to rapidly determine the genetic basis of emerging malaria parasite drug resistance. Buy Actigall with no prescription This will inform malaria control, improve treatment decisions and help prevent the spread of drug-resistant parasites.” “Genetic crosses between parents that differ for a trait of interest, such as Mendel’s famous pea plants, are a powerful tool in biology for mapping the location of genes that cause these traits,” said Dr. About Voltarol (Diclofenac) without prescription Ferdig. Buy Appetite Suppressants online “However, crosses in Plasmodium falciparum typically require a human host for parasite liver stage development in order to produce genetic offspring. http://cholesterolreviews.wordpress.com The system we have developed does not require a human host and will become a powerful resource accessible to the worldwide malaria research community.” The strength of genetic crosses might play a crucial role in ongoing malaria control efforts. A complete understanding of how parasites mate, and how increased virulence and drug resistance arises, will enable parasite control methods, which could save countless lives. Additionally, a genetic crosses pipeline will allow any new parasite – be it hyper virulent or multi-drug resistant – to be put into a genetic cross to identify the cause of the trait in real-time as these parasites are detected in the field. “Imagine a child with severe malaria caused by a new parasite that is resistant to a certain drug. If a doctor uses that drug to treat the child, the patient might die because the drug doesn’t kill the parasite,” said Dr. Kappe. “Thanks to our recent findings, scientists can now map parasite mutations that cause drug resistance in months instead of years, which can help doctors avoid using the drugs that don’t cure but choose the drugs that still can.” A genetic crosses pipeline will also allow for a systematic approach to malaria parasite genetics, which will generate a far deeper understanding of parasite biology. This in turn will further help in the generation of novel drugs, vaccines and diagnostics for malaria. In the Nature Methods paper, the authors have already shown the successful generation of recombinant offspring from three new individual crosses. About the Center for Infectious Disease Research The Center for Infectious Disease Research is the largest independent, nonprofit organization in the U.S. focused solely on infectious disease research. Our mission is to make transformative scientific advancements that lead to the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. We advance the science to develop vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics for infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria that claim the lives of millions of people every year. With your support in advancing our research we seek to build a healthier, more hopeful world. For more information, visit .CIDResearch.org.