Congratulations to Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers who have identified a key protein used by the malaria parasite to transform human red blood cells, ensuring the parasite’s survival. Their discovery means researchers have a clear target against which to develop a new class of anti-malarial drugs that destroy the parasite. Dr Justin Boddey, Dr Tony Hodder, Dr Svenja Gunther, Dr Andrew Pearce and Professor Cowman from the institute, in collaboration with Professor Richard Simpson, Dr Heather Patsiouras and Dr Eugene Kapp of the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Professor Brendan Crabb and Paul Gilson at the Burnet Institute and Dr Tania de Koning-Ward at Deakin University, have identified a protein called Plasmepsin V as being essential for effector proteins to be exported into the red blood cell. Their research has been published 4 February 2010 in the international journal Nature.
