Assessment Of Transgenic Plants Expressing Malaria Antigens As A Means Of Inducing Protective Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$112,000.00
Summary
Malaria infection of humans is one of the most important and deadly infectious diseases in the world, killing more than two million people each year. Traditionally, drugs and insecticides have been used to treat the disease and control its spread. Unfortunately, both of these have become much less effective and there now exist untreatable cases of malaria. Alternative control measures are urgently needed and this project focusses on the development of such an alternative, a vaccine against malar ....Malaria infection of humans is one of the most important and deadly infectious diseases in the world, killing more than two million people each year. Traditionally, drugs and insecticides have been used to treat the disease and control its spread. Unfortunately, both of these have become much less effective and there now exist untreatable cases of malaria. Alternative control measures are urgently needed and this project focusses on the development of such an alternative, a vaccine against malaria using plants transgenic for genes encoding vaccine molecules. Growing these plants not only provides a potentially inexpensive vaccine production system but also offers a potential delivery system such that immunisation may be possible simply through consumption of an edible vaccine. This project intends to investigate the possibility of using transgenic plants expressing malaria antigens to induce protective immunity against malaria infection. The results of this project will provide vitally important information in malaria vaccine production and delivery.Read moreRead less
Identifying The Targets Of Protective Immunity To Malaria In Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$457,267.00
Summary
Malaria in pregnancy is a major cause of disease across many countries. Pregnant women have a high risk of malaria, and large numbers of malaria parasites accumulate in the placenta, which may lead to infant or maternal death. Malaria parasites infect the placenta by producing proteins that enable them to stick to the placenta. These malaria strains causing placental infection generally do not cause disease in non-pregnant individuals. Antibodies to the parasite proteins are produced in response ....Malaria in pregnancy is a major cause of disease across many countries. Pregnant women have a high risk of malaria, and large numbers of malaria parasites accumulate in the placenta, which may lead to infant or maternal death. Malaria parasites infect the placenta by producing proteins that enable them to stick to the placenta. These malaria strains causing placental infection generally do not cause disease in non-pregnant individuals. Antibodies to the parasite proteins are produced in response to placental infection, which may help control the infection and protect against further malaria in pregnancy. However, placental malaria parasites are able to vary the proteins they produce to avoid immune responses. In this project, we will study the parasite strains that cause malaria in pregnancy and the development of antibodies that protect pregnant women against malaria and its complications. We aim to identify the genes and proteins that parasites use to stick to the placenta, and determine how much variation occurs in these proteins. We will also specifically examine the role of one particular candidate gene called var2csa, and its protein, as this has been recently been associated with pregnancy malaria. We will examine how antibodies develop that recognise different proteins and different forms of malaria parasites, and determine the type of antibodies that protect pregnant women taking part in a longitudinal study of malaria in pregnancy in Malawi, Africa. We will also examine how antimalarial drugs taken in pregnancy influence the development of protective antibodies. Through these studies we aim to understand how the immune system combats malaria in pregnancy. This will be important for developing new methods for preventing or treating malaria in pregnancy, and improving child and maternal health.Read moreRead less
Trafficking And Expression Of PfEMP1 On The Surface Of P.falciparum-infected Erythrocytes
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$558,189.00
Summary
Malaria causes over 2 million deaths each year. The parasite infects human red blood cells and expresses a virulence protein on the erythrocyte surface allowing it to adhere to the microcapillaries preventing clearance through the spleen. We aim to understand how the parasite is able to express this virulence protein on the parasite-infected red blood cell surface. Identification of the proteins involved will provide potential drug targets to develop novel antimalarial compounds and strategies.
Antibodies Against Erythrocyte Invasion Ligands Of Plasmodium Falciparum And Protection From Malaria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$358,184.00
Summary
Malaria is a leading cause of childhood death globally. Malaria parasites infect red blood cells and multiply inside them, resulting in severe illness if untreated. Currently there is no vaccine available and effective treatments are limited. In studies of children in Africa and PNG, we aim to identify immune responses that block infection and growth of malaria in the blood. With this knowledge, vaccines can be designed that target malaria to prevent serious illness and death.
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.
Defining The Targets And Function Of Antibodies That Protect Against Malaria In Pregnancy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$547,970.00
Summary
Malaria during pregnancy is a major cause of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality globally. In this project we aim to define the targets of antibodies that protect against malaria in pregnancy and understand the importance of antibody function, determine the extent of antigenic diversity, and identify epitopes of protective antibodies. Results will provide critical knowledge on the development of immunity to malaria in pregnancy that will guide vaccine development.
The Ability Of Sunscreens To Protect Against The Induction Of Solar Irradiation-induced Melanocytic Naevi In Vivo.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$106,854.00
Summary
Melanoma is an increasing problem in Australia. Strong evidence supports the finding that the number of moles on skin is a good indicator of future melanoma risk and a short term marker of adverse reactions to melanoma-inducing sun exposure in humans. While recommendations for sun protection have been proposed for many years, it is currently unknown what component of sunlight induces melanoma or whether sunscreens protect against the formation of melanoma. Using an animal model for human moles o ....Melanoma is an increasing problem in Australia. Strong evidence supports the finding that the number of moles on skin is a good indicator of future melanoma risk and a short term marker of adverse reactions to melanoma-inducing sun exposure in humans. While recommendations for sun protection have been proposed for many years, it is currently unknown what component of sunlight induces melanoma or whether sunscreens protect against the formation of melanoma. Using an animal model for human moles of the skin we aim in contributing to the answers of these two questions .Read moreRead less