Combating Malaria

Using a pair of powerful genome-search techniques, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), Harvard University, and the Broad Institute have identified several genes that may be implicated in the malaria parasite’s notorious ability to rapidly evade drug treatments. Further testing revealed that one of the genes, when inserted into drug-sensitive parasites, rendered them less vulnerable to three antimalarial drugs.

The successful experiments suggest that the genomic methods are useful tools for probing the genetic mechanisms underlying drug resistance in the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite and potentially other types of disease-causing parasites as well.

Click here to read the Harvard School of Public Health Press Release.