cGMP signalling in Plasmodium intracellular development

疟疾每年夺去近100万人的生命，其中大多数是儿童。没有针对疟疾的疫苗，目前使用的抗疟疾药物面临若干挑战。疟疾是由一种叫做疟原虫的寄生虫引起的，它通过蚊子叮咬传播给人类。在人体内，疟原虫的第一个动作是感染肝脏。在肝细胞内，每个寄生虫在2-3周内分裂成数万个寄生虫，最终释放到血液中。寄生虫是如何控制这个非凡的过程的？研究者之前已经发现了一种酶，这种酶对疟原虫在肝脏中的发展至关重要。没有它，寄生虫就会被“禁锢”在肝细胞内。在这个项目中，研究者将使用分子生物学，遗传学和先进的显微镜来揭示酶的确切功能。研究人员将确定哪些基因对这种酶的反应是开启或关闭的，并确定与这种酶合作的蛋白质，使寄生虫能够在肝脏中发育。从这个项目中获得的知识将在未来帮助科学家设计新的方法来阻止寄生虫对肝脏的感染并治疗疟疾。在新泽西医学院开展这项工作将使纽瓦克地区代表性不足的本科生、研究生和医学院学生参与生物医学研究。该项目将包括通过暑期实习项目招募的当地本科生和高中生，目的是培养他们对科学事业的终身兴趣。

Malaria kills nearly a million people a year, mostly young children. There is no vaccine against malaria and currently used anti-malarial drugs face several challenges. Malaria is caused by parasites called Plasmodium, which are transmitted to humans via mosquito bites. Inside the human body, Plasmodium's first act is to infect the liver. Inside the liver cells, each parasite divides to form tens of thousands of more parasites in just 2-3 weeks, which are eventually released into the blood. How does the parasite control this remarkable process? The investigator has previously discovered an enzyme that is essential for Plasmodium's development in the liver. Without it, parasites are "arrested" within the liver cell. In this project, the investigator will use molecular biology, genetics and advanced microscopy to reveal the exact function of the enzyme. The investigator will determine the genes that are turned on or off in response to the enzyme, and identify the proteins that partner with this enzyme to enable the parasite's development in the liver. This knowledge gained by this project will, in the future, help scientists design new ways to block the parasite's infection of the liver and treat malaria.Carrying out this work at the New Jersey Medical School will introduce underrepresented undergraduate, graduate and medical students from the Newark area to biomedical research. The project will include local undergraduate and high schools students recruited through summer internship programs, with a view towards developing a life-long interest in the scientific enterprise.