Basic Research on drugs and vaccines against parasitic diseases
Abstract
Malaria, which can cause fatal and chronic disease, is the most significant military infectious disease threat. This effort seeks to better understand the biology of malaria and leishmaniasis (a skin-based disease transmitted by sand flies predominantly exhibited as skin sores) parasites and to gain the necessary foundation for discovering medical countermeasures to protect military personnel from infection. Because the malaria parasite becomes resistant to drugs over time, it is necessary to continually search for parasite weaknesses that can be exploited by different drugs and vaccines. This effort seeks to better understand small molecule therapeutics and prophylactics, to overcome drug resistant organisms and identify new proteins in the design of candidate vaccines for various types of malaria including the severe form (caused by Plasmodium falciparum) and the less severe but relapsing form (caused by Plasmodium vivax).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 7b215df77bcf8f58115f9f22110e5a61