Late stage African Sleeping Sickness: Elucidation of Brain Infection by African Trypanosomes

本项目的目的是在德国图宾根大学和人类(昏睡病)和动物(纳加纳)锥虫病影响最严重的非洲国家的一些机构之间建立一个科学研究联盟。该项目的主要目标将是研究锥虫如何调节其在大脑和脑脊液(CSF)中的密度，以建立非洲锥虫病的晚期，在此期间，只有少数药物可以越过血脑屏障(BBB)杀死寄生虫。PGD2等分子将用于动物模型，以阐明它们在锥虫细胞密度调控中的作用，锥虫细胞密度是寄生虫建立寄生和维持哺乳动物宿主生存的关键过程。此外，该项目将通过东非和中非生物科学国家的大学与图宾根大学之间的夹心培训计划，为非洲年轻的科学家和研究人员提供培训机会。来自非洲流行国家的青年科学家将获得技术和科学技能，使他们能够在自己的国家开展高质量的生物科学科学研究。该项目还将加强和建设该区域共享设施的能力。同样，该联盟将为德国研究人员创造有利条件，使他们能够从非洲获得非洲人和动物锥虫病的信息和研究材料。

The present project aims to establish a scientific research consortium between the University of Tubingen in Germany and some institutions in the human (sleeping sickness) and animal (nagana) trypanosomiasis most affected African countries. The main objective of the project will be to study how trypanosomes regulate their density in the brain and in the cerebrospinal fluid (csf) in order to establish the late stage of African trypanosomiasis during which only a few drugs can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to kill the parasites. Molecules such as PGD2 will be used in animal models to elucidate their role in the regulation and control of trypanosome cell density, an essential process for the parasites to establish parasitism and maintain the mammalian host alive.In addition, this project will offer training opportunities for young African scientists and researchers through sandwich training programs between the universities in the Biosciences eastern and central Africa countries and the University of Tubingen. Young scientists from endemic African countries will acquire technical and scientific skills to enable them carry out high quality scientific research on biosciences in their own countries. The project will also strengthen and build capacity in terms of sharing facilities in the region. Likewise, the consortium will create enabling conditions for German researchers to have access to the information on and research materials of human and animal African trypanosomiasis from Africa.