Richard Bartfai (Radboud University), Bert Windhorst (Amsterdam UMC) and Clemens Kocken (BPRC) have received a Synergy Grant of 11 million euros from the European Research Council (ERC) for research into hypnozoites, malaria-causing parasites that lie dormant in the liver can be present. The team wants to gain insight into the interaction between the parasites and their host, so that it becomes possible to develop new drugs against malaria. Radboud University reports this.
Understanding hypnozoites is essential in the fight against malaria, as their ability to hide and then reemerge poses significant challenges for both treatment and eradication of malaria. However, due to their inaccessible location in the liver, revealing the mechanisms underlying the dormant state and reactivation of hypnozoites has been an unsolvable challenge for scientists since the discovery of hypnozoites in the 1980s.
Molecular analyses
With the help of the ERC Synergy Grant, the researchers will use advanced techniques and a unique monkey model to locate these parasites in the liver. They will take biopsies and perform extensive molecular analyzes to investigate the relationship between the parasite and the host.
The researchers: “By making the parasites visible in the liver and following them over time, we can actually understand their biology. Furthermore, through molecular analyzes we will gain insight into which processes are crucial for both the parasite and the host the dormant state of the hypnozoites.”
Complicated interaction
The precise triggers that prompt hypnozoites to awaken from their sleep state are not clear. Factors such as the physiological conditions of the host, environmental changes and the specific cellular environment of the liver could play an important role in this process.
The researchers: “Our ultimate goal is to gain a better understanding of the complex interactions between the parasites and the host. This knowledge is of great importance in developing more effective strategies to combat and ultimately eradicate malaria.”
By: National Education Guide
2023-10-27 11:38:04
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