Erythrocyte invasion in malaria: molecular mechanism to precision therapeutics

Malaria remains the mostly deadly parasitic infection to affect humans, causing around half a million deaths and hundreds of millions of cases each year. Most deaths are of children under the age of five. Sadly, recent reductions in malaria cases have stalled and we urgently need additional interventions, such as a highly protective vaccine or therapeutic antibodies. In order for the malaria parasite to divide and to cause disease symptoms, it must get inside human blood cells. In particular, a piece of parasite machinery called PfRCR is required for blood cell invasion and could act as an Achilles heel for the parasite. In this proposal, we aim to understand what PfRCR looks like and how it works. We will also study the antibody molecules that are produced when human volunteers are vaccinated with components of PfRCR. This insight will guide us to generate improved vaccine immunogens and therapeutic antibody cocktails.