Chemical Genomics

Drug resistance in malaria is increasing, yet few antimalarial agents are available to combat this infection, and even fewer new antimalarial agents are being developed. Our laboratory is interested in the identification of novel antimalarials and the development of chemical agents that target new pathways in the malaria parasite. For this purpose we are collaborating with the Institute of Chemistry and Cell Biology at Harvard University and the Broad Institute (a research collaborative between the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, the Harvard-affiliated hospitatls and the Whitehead Institute) to screen chemical libraries for agents that have antimalarial properties. Once identified, these compounds will be modified to enhance their antiparasitic properties and minimize their potential toxicity to the host. We are also using genomic tools to identify novel pathways in the parasite that may be utilized as novel drug targets, particularly for drugs that have already been shown to have antimicrobial properties in other systems. Our goal is to identify and characterize both novel antimalarial agents and drug targets in the parasite to provide interventions that will reduce morbidity and mortality from malaria infection worldwide.

Collaboration with ICCB

We are collaborating with the Institute of Chemistry and Cell Biology at Harvard University and the Broad Institute (a research collaborative the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, the Harvard-affiliated hospitals and the Whitehead Institute) to screen chemical libraries for agents that have antimalarial properties.