Plasmodium parasites that cause Malaria infect hundreds of millions each year, but we still lack a full understanding of how they transmit from host to host and the conditions that enable Plasmodium parasites to multiply inside the liver before assaulting the body. What efforts are being made to illuminate these processes and reveal parasitic vulnerabilities that can be exploited in new drugs to combat this deadly disease?
First, Lyn-Marié Birkholtz of the University of Pretoria in South Africa will give an introduction to the disease and describe the principles of antimalarial drug discovery that prioritizes transmission-blocking in candidates, including how her lab measures a block in the transmission of the parasite from the human host to the mosquito, the ideal profile of a transmission-blocking candidate, specific requirements in the physicochemical properties of such candidates, and development and deployment challenges.
Then, Emily R Derbyshire of Duke University will share how her lab employs chemical biology, biochemistry and genomics to develop small molecule probes, gene sequencing technologies and forward genetic screens that can observe the metamorphosis of Plasmodium in liver cells and reveal biological processes critical to this elusive developmental stage of the infection. Register now to discover why new Malaria drug discovery must go beyond the pathogenic stages of the disease and be equally effective at targeting and suppressing transmission if there is hope to reduce reinfection and spread of drug resistance.
This ACS Webinar is moderated by Jeremy Burrows from the Medicines for Malaria Venture and is co-produced with ACS Publications.
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What You Will Learn
- What is the antimalarial drug discovery landscape to ensure blocking of malaria parasite transmission?
- How transmission-blocking drugs should be used
- Can we use transmission-blocking drugs as a starting point to discover antimalarial compounds with polypharmacology as irresistible candidates?
- The Plasmodium parasite metamorphosis that leads to malaria
- How Plasmodium parasites hijack human cells
- How chemical probes can aid in the discovery of parasite vulnerabilities
Additional Resources
- In recognition of World Malaria Day, view the 2024 Collection that showcases the ongoing global research efforts to combat malaria.
Co-Produced With
What an attendee said about this ACS Webinar!
Really great session, I'm involved in Malaria drug discovery and it's great to get an overview of TPP/TCPs and variety of approaches.
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