Modulation Of Leishmaniasis By The Proinflammatory Cytokines TNF
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,911.00
Summary
We have established a mouse model that has been genetically modified and cannot produce the cytokine tumour necrosis factor. This cytokine is secreted in the beginning of the inflammatory response. If these mice are infected with a parasite they are not able to heal the infection and die quickly. We can demonstrate that these mice cannot regulate the beginning inflammatory response and do not form a cellular infiltrate at the site of infection.
Metabolomic Analysis Of Leishmania Parasites; Identifying Metabolic Pathways Required For Pathogenesis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$605,963.00
Summary
Leishmania are single-celled parasites that target a major class of immune cell, affecting millions and killing thousands of people worldwide. We have developed new approaches for investigating how these parasites survive in the immune cells, and why different species of Leishmania cause markedly different pathologies. This information will be used to identify and validate new drug targets in these parasites.
The Role Of IL-17 In Regulating Liver Macrophage Permissiveness For Leishmania Infection
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$655,082.00
Summary
Visceral Leishmaniasis is a disease of poverty in the developing world caused by Leishmania parasites, which live and replicate within host tissue macrophages. A cytokine produced by host cells, IL-17A impairs the ability of liver macrophages to control this infection, as mice that lack IL-17A have lower parasite burdens in the liver after experimental infection. We propose to investigate if IL-17A mediates this impaired control by tuning the permissiveness of host macrophages to infection.
Parasitic infections are a significant global health problem, resulting in more than a million deaths annually. Unfortunately there is no licensed vaccine available for any human parasitic infection, and in many cases current drugs suffer from issues of parasite drug resistance. To address this problem this project brings together leading researchers from the European Union, Brazil, and Australia to discover and develop new types of drugs for four major human parasitic diseases: schistosomiasis, ....Parasitic infections are a significant global health problem, resulting in more than a million deaths annually. Unfortunately there is no licensed vaccine available for any human parasitic infection, and in many cases current drugs suffer from issues of parasite drug resistance. To address this problem this project brings together leading researchers from the European Union, Brazil, and Australia to discover and develop new types of drugs for four major human parasitic diseases: schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and malaria.Read moreRead less
Polysaccharide Biosynthesis As A New Drug Target In Leishmania Parasites
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$422,517.00
Summary
Leishmania are protozoan parasites that cause a number of important diseases in humans, afflicting more than 12 million people worldwide. There are currently few drugs that target infectious disease causing stages of these parasites. We have recently shown that Leishmania parasites accumulate a highly unusual sugar polymer when they infect mammalian cells, which appears to be important for infectivity. In this proposal , we will investigate how this sugar polymer is made, identify enzymes involv ....Leishmania are protozoan parasites that cause a number of important diseases in humans, afflicting more than 12 million people worldwide. There are currently few drugs that target infectious disease causing stages of these parasites. We have recently shown that Leishmania parasites accumulate a highly unusual sugar polymer when they infect mammalian cells, which appears to be important for infectivity. In this proposal , we will investigate how this sugar polymer is made, identify enzymes involved in its synthesis and develop new chemical tools for generating highly specific inhibitors of Leishmania sugar biosynthesis. This project will provide new insights into processes that are essential for the survival and infectivity of an improtant group of human pathogens, and lead to the development of new classes of enzyme inhibitors with anti-parasite activity.Read moreRead less