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Grand Challenges is a family of initiatives fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems. Each initiative is an experiment in the use of challenges to focus innovation on making an impact. Individual challenges address some of the same problems, but from differing perspectives.

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Breastmilk shield to prevent HIV transmission

Gadi BorkowCupron, Inc.Richmond, Virginia, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 May 2009

Gadi Borkow of Cupron, Inc. in the U.S. will study the efficacy of using newly developed copper-oxide based filters that deactivate a wide range of viruses, including HIV-1, as a shield to enable HIV-infected mothers to breastfeed their infants without risking transmission of the virus.

Mortalizing HIV – A Novel Method to Help Eradicate HIV

Reuben HarrisUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 May 2009

A high HIV mutation rate enables escape from powerful immune responses and anti-retroviral drugs. Reuben Harris of the University of Minnesota in the U.S. will test the hypothesis that HIV requires the human APOBEC3G protein to maintain a high mutation rate necessary for HIV survival. Inhibiting this protein may slow the mutation rate and make the virus more susceptible to immune responses.

Using Materials Science to Stop HIV Sexual Transmission

Patrick KiserUniversity of UtahSalt Lake City, Utah, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 May 2009

Patrick Kiser of the University of Utah in the U.S. will design a vaginal gel that blocks HIV by becoming impermeable in response to the pH change induced by the presence of semen, and includes a polymer engineered to bind to HIV surface proteins to halt viral transport to susceptible tissues and HIV target cells. In this project's Phase I research, Kiser and his team engineered a synthetic polymer that has many of the properties of mucus, and demonstrated that the polymers slow or stops the movement of cells in the presence of semen. In Phase II, Kiser will focus on developing a pericoital contraceptive gel that will prevent the movement of spermatozoa into the uterus.

Zinc Finger Nucleases For in vivo Treatment of HIV Infection

Philip GregorySangamo BioSciences IncRichmond, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 May 2009

People born with a genetic mutation in their CCR5 gene are naturally resistant to HIV infection. Philip Gregory of Sangamo BioSciences, Inc. in the U.S. will use zinc finger nuclease technology to specifically disrupt the CCR5 gene as a new strategy to make people resistant to HIV.

A Small Molecule That Blocks Male-to-Female Sexual Transmission of HIV

David EisenbergUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
HIV Infection
1 May 2009

Recent evidence suggests that HIV infection may be drastically enhanced when a specific protein found in human semen is present in fibril form. David Eisenberg of UCLA in the U.S. will design and test a small peptide that can effectively block formation of fibrils on this protein. If successful, the therapy could be administered via spray or liquid drops to inhibit transmission of HIV.

A Self-Adjuvanting Vaccine for ST-ETEC

Roy Robins-BrowneUniversity of MelbourneMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is the leading cause of diarrhea in the developing world. Roy Robins-Browne, of the University of Melbourne, in Australia will evaluate the effectiveness of a prototype vaccine that combines enterotoxin of E. coli (which lacks immunogenicity by itself) with another epitope to attract helper T cells and a lipid adjuvant to ensure delivery of the antigen directly into the cell.

Development of a Synthetic Anti-Toxic Vaccine for Malaria

Louis SchofieldThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchVictoria, Victoria, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Louis Schofield of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Australia will develop a synthetic saccharide-conjugated vaccine that would provide immunity against GPI, a toxin produced by the malaria parasite that is a major determinant in the severity and fatality of the disease. This project's Phase I research demonstrated preclinical safety and efficacy of a synthetic anti-toxin vaccine for malaria, showing that the oligosaccharide target was conserved across all malaria species and life stages. In Phase II, Schofield is extending the preclinical evaluation of efficacy of this candidate vaccine against other species and life stages.

Liposomal Dendiritc-Cell (DC)-Targeted Vaccines for TB

Ines AtmosukartoLipotek Pty LtdCanberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Ines Atmosukarto of Lipotek Pty Ltd. in Australia proposes to develop a novel TB vaccine utilizing synthetic “nano-sacs” called liposomes that carry TB antigens and are anchored with a self-adjuvanting protein that binds to and stimulates dendritic cells.

An Altruistic Vaccine for Mosquito Transmitted Pathogens

Paul YoungUniversity of QueenslandBrisbane, Queensland, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Mosquito transmitted pathogens such as dengue and malaria are a significant disease burden on the world's population. Paul Young of the University of Queensland in Australia aims to develop a novel vaccine approach that is based on blocking mosquito transmission of these disease agents rather than inducing pathogen- specific immunity.

MicroCubes as Vaccines for the Developing World

Fasseli CoulibalyMonash UniversityClayton, Victoria, Australia
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Fasséli Coulibaly of Monash University in Australia will design a vaccine platform based on protein crystals (MicroCubes) produced by insect viruses to produce new and more potent vaccines with increased stability, obviating the need for refrigerated storage. The crystal structure will be engineered to present multiple antigens that will then be tested for their ability to induce an effective immune response. In Phase I, a proof-of-concept study was performed to establish MicroCubes as a promising vaccine platform, focusing on production versatility, potential vaccine delivery routes, and efficacy for inducing an immune response in mice. In Phase II, they will investigate the broader potential of MicroCubes as a generic vaccine platform that can be used to deliver a wide range of antigens, and will use it to develop a candidate vaccine against HIV.

Prevention of Visceral Leishmaniasis Disease in Asymptomatic VL Patients

Dinesh MondalInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, BangladeshDhaka, Bangladesh
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Because malnutrition, micronutrient deficiency and parasitic worm infection are all major risk factors for developing visceral leishmaniasis, Dinesh Mondal of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) will study if VL development can be prevented in asymptomatic patients through nutritional supplements of vitamin A, zinc and iron, as well as anti-helminth treatment.

Reducing Risk of ALRI by Improving Indoor Air Pollution

Golam RabbaniInternational Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, BangladeshDhaka, Bangladesh
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Golam Rabbani of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B) will study the effects that a new model of indoor cooking stove with concealed combustion chambers and ventilation chimney has in reducing indoor air pollution and subsequently, reducing acute lower respiratory infections and TB in children.

Large-Scale MHC Epitope Analysis for Vaccine Development

Gustavo Fioravanti VieiraUniversidade Federal do Rio Grande do SulPorto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Gustavo Fioravanti Vieira of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil will create 3-D computer models of viral epitopes anchored to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules associated with different MHC alleles to search for “generalist” epitopes. Such epitopes can be used to develop viral vaccines that are effective against a broad spectrum of pathogens.

Increasing Vaccination Efficacy with ACE Inhibitors

Julio ScharfsteinUniversidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Julio Scharfstein of Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in Brazil will study whether a pre-dose of captopril, an established angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and anti-hypertension drug, can increase the potency of vaccines by increasing the activation of dendritic cells.

Immune Reinforcing Attenuated Whole-Sporozoite as Vaccine

Guang-hong TanHainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical MedicineHaikou, China
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Guang-hong Tan of Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Medicine in China seeks to create a next-generation malaria vaccine by deleting a gene responsible for parasite development in the liver adding a new gene which attracts dendritic cells to the infection site. Using this modified sporozoite in a vaccine could produce a limited infection that, at the same time, induces a strong immune response against malaria.

Generation of Influenza-Resistant Chicken by Triple Combination Lentiviral Vector-mediated Genetic Modification

Chen YangchaoThe Chinese University of Hong KongHong Kong, China
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

Chen Yangchao of the Chinese University of Hong Kong proposes developing a lentiviral vector that targets the entry and replication of influenza viruses in domestic chickens. The team plans to test the ability of these modified chickens to be resistant to various influenza viruses in an effort to reduce the frequency of flu epidemics in poultry and, ultimately, in humans.

Vaccine Discovery by Mapping Quasi-species Sequence Space

Marco VignuzziInstitut PasteurParis, France
Grand Challenges Explorations
Infectious Diseases
1 May 2009

In organisms that have extreme mutation rates, such as RNA viruses, quasispecies are highly diverse genotypes that may drastically differ from the general population and often become less viable as they continue to mutate. Using new deep sequencing technology, Marco Vignuzzi of the Pasteur Institute in France hopes to identify such RNA viruses that have managed to retain attenuated strains in order to study these genotypes for possible use in the development of viral vaccines.

Rapid Urine-Based Dipstick Test for Diagnosis of Malaria

Uri McKakpoUniversity of GhanaAccra, Ghana
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Uri Selome McKakpo of the University of Ghana will develop and test a rapid dipstick test that utilizes monoclonal antibodies to detect parasite antigens present in urine of infected individuals. Using this technology, the team hopes to create a new diagnostic test for malaria that requires minimal training to use and does not depend on invasive blood samples.

How to Break B Tolerance and Induce HIV-Protective Antibodies to CCR5

Lucia LopalcoSan Raffaele Scientific InstituteMilano, Italy
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

HIV uses the CCR5 co-receptor protein found in mammals as a major pathway to enter target cells. Because some patients who are exposed, yet resistant, to the virus, or have HIV but do not ever progress to AIDS can exhibit the presence of CCR5 internalizing antibodies, Lucia Lopalco of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Italy will attempt to generate “anti-self” antibodies against CCR5 to knock out protein's co-receptor and effectively block HIV entry.

Host Targets in Mtb Infection

Nigel SavageLeiden University Medical CenterLeiden, Netherlands
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Because tuberculosis manipulates host cells to resist the immune response and current drug therapies, Nigel Savage of Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands will utilize RNAi analysis to identify the essential pathways used by the bacteria to modify its host cell. By discovering these pathways, novel therapies can be developed to counteract this host manipulation without directly targeting the pathogen and causing the development of resistance.

Robotic Health Assistant for Rational Management of Fevers among Nomads

Oladele AkogunCommon Heritage FoundationJimeta-Yola, Nigeria
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Oladele Akogun of the Common Heritage Foundation in Nigeria seeks to develop a “fever kit” for use among nomadic populations to help them accurately diagnose and treat fevers in a way that reduces mortality and drug resistance. The device will be equipped with simple diagnostic tools and prerecorded treatment instructions in the native language to help nomadic caregivers distinguish between malaria and other causes of fevers, and will also contain drug treatments appropriate to the diagnosed illness.

A Novel Way of Targeting TB using Aptamers and Nanotechnology

Boitumelo SemeteCouncil for Scientific and Industrial ResearchPretoria, South Africa
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

To optimize the effectiveness of current anti-tuberculosis drugs, Boitumelo Semete of the CSIR in South Africa will work with collaborators to develop “sticky nanoparticles” that specifically attach to TB-infected cells. Once taken in by these cells, the nanoparticles will slowly degrade, releasing the anti-TB drugs and killing the bacteria. With this novel drug delivery system, the team aims to improve the bioavailability of the current therapies, with the possibility of shortening the treatment period for TB as well as reduce drug side effects.

Development of Indoor Spray to Control Malaria Transmission

Walter FockeUniversity of PretoriaPretoria, South Africa
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Because DDT is the only insecticide that remains effective for more than a year, Walter Focke of the University of Pretoria in South Africa will investigate how insecticides degrade when applied on an indoor surface. Focke will then study whether combining the insecticide with paint to create a “whitewash” can mitigate this disintegration and enhance stability.

Latency in M. tuberculosis – A Highly Dynamic Phenomenon

Maria LermLinköping UniversityLinkoping, Sweden
Grand Challenges Explorations
Tuberculosis Latency
1 May 2009

Maria Lerm of Linkoping University in Sweden will test her hypothesis that TB latency is a dynamic process in which a portion of the bacilli, when ingested by macrophages, trigger a genetic program where bacteria cycle between active and latent phases. Understanding whether this dynamic cycle exists could give new insights into maintaining or targeting the latent bacteria, which is the major reservoir of TB globally.

Drug-Induced Differentiation of Trypanosomes Leads to Lysis

Reto BrunSwiss Tropical & Public Health InstituteBasel, Switzerland
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Reto Brun (Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute) and Isabel Roditi (University of Bern) in Switzerland seek to identify small molecules that prematurely induce African trypanosomes, which are parasites that cause fatal sleeping sickness, to differentiate into the life stages necessary for transmission of the parasite. Forcing this transformation within the mammalian host could be the basis for new methods to kill trypanosomes, and this concept might be applied to other vector-borne disease . In this project’s Phase I research, Brun and Roditi developed a whole-cell assay to identify small molecules that stimulate early differentiation of African trypanosomes. In Phase II, they will perform high-throughput screens for such small molecules, validate active molecules in a suite of assays, and study them in a mouse model of infection.

Malaria Prevention With the Help of Anti-Drug Antibodies

Erich CernyWissenschaftlicher Fonds InkologieSt. Gallen, Switzerland
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Erich Cerny of Wissenschaftlicher Fonds Onkologie in Switzerland will test whether inducing antibodies against anti-malarial drugs can significantly prolong the half- life of that drug. Antibodies elicited via immunization may form a reservoir of the active drug for long-lasting treatment for malaria. Such a “small molecule vaccine” has significant implications for efficacy and cost of malaria prevention.

Nanoparticle Platform for TB Vaccine Targeting Lymph Nodes

Melody SwartzEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanne, Switzerland
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Melody Swartz and Jeffrey Hubbell of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, will explore the use of a robust and inexpensive nanotechnology, which may penetrate lymph tissue to more effectively trigger immune responses, as a new tool for prevention of TB.

Dual-Mode Binding Inhibitors to Suppress P. falciparum DHFRs

Bongkoch TarnchompooNational Center for Genetic Engineering and BiotechnologyPathumthani, Thailand
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Bongkoch Tarnchompoo of the National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Thailand will attempt to develop and test a novel drug that binds to the two pathways used by the DHFR enzyme in P. falciparum to mutate. By tethering these active sites, the dual-binding drug will suppress the development of resistance to anti-malarial drugs.

Novel Magneto-Optical Biosensors for Malaria Diagnosis

Luke SavageUniversity of ExeterExeter, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Luke Savage and Dave Newman led engineers at Exeter University in the United Kingdom in a program to develop a handheld, inexpensive battery-powered instrument that can rapidly diagnose malaria. By using magneto-optics to detect the hemozoin crystals produced as a byproduct of malaria parasite digestion of hemoglobin in the red blood cell, they avoid relying on invasive blood sampling. The project's Phase I research produced a robust hand-held diagnostic device able under laboratory conditions to detect malarial infection at well below 100 parasitized red blood cells per microliter in less than two minutes. In Phase II, simpler yet improved second generation devices will undergo further development and clinical testing under field conditions until they can meet the sensitivity and specificity standards required of a test for malaria.

Experimental Human Carriage of Pneumococci

Stephen GordonLiverpool School of Tropical MedicineLiverpool, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Because human carriage of pneumococcus usually results in improved immunity to future infections without any development of disease, Stephen Gordon of the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom will use an intranasal inoculation with a safe strain of the bacteria to study the mechanisms of mucosal immunity in the lungs and to explore the potential for a vaccine based on his findings. In this project's Phase I research, Gordon successfully demonstrated that human carriage of pneumococcus provides improved immunity to future infections, and that nasal inoculation immunizes the lungs against the pathogen. In Phase II, Gordon will work to assess the reproducibility of his model to ensure its robustness as a candidate for a pneumococcal vaccine.

Infinite-Epitope Virus-like Particle Vaccines for HIV/AIDS

George DicksonRoyal Holloway, University of LondonSurrey, United Kingdom
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

One hypothesis of why protective immunity to HIV in the general population is very low is that the virus can exist in a hidden form in the body and can mutate very quickly to escape immune destruction. George Dickson of Royal Holloway University of London will design and evaluate so-called "infinite-epitope" vaccines for their potential to provide simultaneous and broad protective immunity to the many variant forms of HIV.

Anti-TB Drugs That Limit Evolution of Resistance

Gerald SmithFred Hutchinson Cancer Research CenterSeattle, Washington, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Gerald R. Smith of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in the U.S. seeks to identify inhibitors of a bacterial DNA repair enzyme that allows tuberculosis to mutate. Identifying these inhibitors could lead to therapies that kill bacteria and limit drug resistance.

Targeted pH-Gated Nanoparticle Anti-TB Drug Delivery System

Marcus HorwitzUniversity of California, Los AngelesLos Angeles, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Marcus Horwitz and colleagues at UCLA in the U.S. will develop and test a novel drug delivery system in which nanoparticles loaded with anti-TB drugs selectively target macrophages, and release the drugs intracellularly via a pH-dependent gate, allowing delivery of high concentrations on antibiotics into the host cells for Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Biosynthetic Immunotargeting for Pneumococcal Treatment

David SpiegelYale UniversityNew Haven, Connecticut, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

David A. Spiegel of Yale University in the U.S. will pursue an antibiotic strategy called “biosynthetic immunotargeting.” Streptococcus pneumoniae will be fed small molecules which they will incorporate into their cell walls. These small molecules contain an epitope recognized by antibodies in the human bloodstream, leading to immune clearance independent of bacterial antigens, representing a unique, resistance-free approach to pneumococcal disease.

Small Molecule Antimicrobial Peptide Mimics as Antimalarials

Doron GreenbaumUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of the innate immune system that provides resistance to a variety of pathogenic organisms by selectively lysing, or bursting, cellular membranes of invading pathogens. Doron Greenbaum of the University of Pennsylvania in the U.S. will test whether small molecules that mimic the natural AMPs can selectively kill the parasite that causes malaria. Such an approach could reduce costs of production as well as limit the emergence of drug resistance.

Targeting Erythrocyte Determinants of Malaria Infection

Manoj DuraisinghHarvard UniversityCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Manoj Duraisingh of the Harvard School of Public Health in the U.S. will use RNAi screening to identify critical determinants in human red blood cells (erythrocytes) that are required for invasion and growth of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. In this project's Phase I research, Duraisingh's group developed a RNAi- based approach for genetic analysis of the erythrocyte in vitro, and demonstrated that the major surface protein Glycophorin A is required for efficient invasion by some strains of P. falciparum. The group made progress in the development of a high-throughput RNAi screen, which in Phase II of the project Duraisingh hopes will identify those essential erythrocyte determinants that are most amenable to the development of host-targeted drug therapies.

A Lexicon of HIV-RNA Interactions

Alice TelesnitskyUniversity of MichiganAnn Arbor, Michigan, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Alice Telesnitsky of the University of Michigan in the U.S. seeks to define and characterize HIV interactions with host RNA. The team will attempt to determine whether disrupting or mimicking essential interactions with host RNAs may lead to antiviral strategies to which HIV cannot readily develop resistance.

Killing T. brucei by RNA Aptamer-Mediated Immobilization

Arthur GünzlUniversity of Connecticut Health CenterFarmington, Connecticut, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

T. brucei, the parasite that causes sleeping sickness, must continuously swim forward in human blood to evade immune responses. Arthur Günzl of the University of Connecticut Health Center in the U.S. will attempt to develop serum-stable RNA molecules to immobilize the parasite by interrupting the mechanism driving parasite motility.

Combating Antibiotic Resistance in Tuberculosis

Krishna KodukulaSRI InternationalMenlo Park, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

To test the theory that certain metabolic pathways essential to the survival of bacteria are immutable and therefore promising targets of drug therapy, Krishna Kodukula and colleagues at SRI International in the U.S. will identify peptides that bind key metabolites of M. tuberculosis, and test their ability to kill the bacteria.

A Novel Bactericidal Protein Found in Milk

Anders HakanssonThe Research Foundation of the State University of New YorkAlbany, New York, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Drug Resistance
1 May 2009

Anders Hakansson of the University of Buffalo in the U.S. has identified a protein from human breast milk (Human Alpha Lactalbumin Made Lethal to Tumor cell, or HAMLET), that kills respiratory tract bacteria. Hakansson will attempt to understand the mechanism by which HAMLET binds to and kills pheumococci without the bacteria developing resistance.

Primaquine Revisited – Safety and Efficacy of PQ Isomers

Larry WalkerUniversity of MississippiUniversity, Mississippi, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Larry Walker of the University of Mississippi in the U.S. will test an innovative approach to mitigate the toxicity of primaquine, a promising and powerful malaria drug. Walker will separate the drug into two components, called isomers, to see if a single form retains the ability to eliminate the malaria parasite in its latent liver stages and the mature gametocytes while reducing toxic side effects.

Novel Class of Long-Range Olfactory Repellents for Anopheles

Anandasankar RayUniversity of California, RiversideRiverside, California, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

CO2 present in exhaled air is used by Anopheles mosquitoes to find their human hosts. Anandasankar Ray of University of California-Riverside plans to identify odors that inhibit the mosquito's CO2- sensitive olfactory neurons, and design long-distance repellents that block the ability of mosquitoes to detect humans and protect large areas.

Targeting TRP Channel Heat Receptors to Disrupt An. gambiae Host Seeking

Guirong WangVanderbilt UniversityNashville, Tennessee, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Guirong Wang and colleagues at Vanderbilt University in the U.S. have recently identified key sensory heat receptors used by mosquitoes to target hosts. Wang will use these proteins as molecular targets to develop insect repellents and masking agents that block or hyper-stimulate these receptors and reduce the ability of the vectors to find hosts and spread disease.

Using Bacteria to Contain the Spread of Malaria

Marcelo Jacobs-LorenaJohns Hopkins UniversityBaltimore, Maryland, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, of the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the U.S. proposes to modify bacteria that naturally inhabit the mosquito midgut to secrete proteins that interfere with the development of the malaria parasite in the mosquito that is necessary for malaria transmission.

Mosquitocidal Immunity in Cattle to Augment Zooprophylaxis

Jefferson VaughanUniversity of North DakotaGrand Forks, North Dakota, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Jefferson Vaughan of the University of North Dakota will seek to augment zooprophylaxis, the practice of using livestock to divert mosquito blood feeding away from humans, by developing an anti-mosquito vaccine for cattle that kill the insect before they bite humans.

Mis-Expression of Liver-Specific miRNAs to Eradicate Malaria

Jen-Tsan ChiDuke UniversityDurham, North Carolina, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

When malaria parasites infect different human cells, including liver and red blood cells, it is thought that microRNAs are important developmental cues that facilitate specific events in the parasite life cycle. Jen-Tsan Chi of Duke Medical Center in the U.S. will test whether expressing liver-specific microRNAs within red blood cells will trick the parasite into undergoing liver-stage development, leading to its death.

Taste-guided Behavior in Mosquitoes Helps Eradicate Malaria

Paul BreslinMonell Chemical Senses CenterPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Little is known about the role taste plays in the mosquito feeding process. Paul Breslin of the Monell Chemical Sense Center in the U.S. will test the sensitivity of the mosquito taste system to human skin compounds in an effort to identify key compounds that cue the insects to accept or reject blood meals from humans.

Giving Malaria Mosquitoes a "Head Cold" to Stop Odor-Driven Feeding on Humans

Thomas BakerPennsylvania State UniversityUniversity Park, Pennsylvania, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Malaria Eradication
1 May 2009

Thomas Baker, Matt Thomas and Andrew Read of Pennsylvania State University in the U.S. will infect malaria mosquitoes with an insect-specific fungus to determine if the infected mosquitoes' sense of smell is suppressed and their ability to find human hosts and transmit malaria is reduced.

Novel Malaria Vaccine Targets Linked to Cellular Import

Kasturi HaldarUniversity of Notre DameNotre Dame, Indiana, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Kasturi Haldar of the University of Notre Dame in the U.S. will rapidly screen malaria parasite genes that are essential for invasion and growth in human red blood cells. Characterizing these proteins may reveal novel vaccine targets for blood stage infection.

Development of a Glycan Vaccine for Tuberculosis

Carlos Rivera-MarreroEmory UniversityAtlanta, Georgia, United States
Grand Challenges Explorations
Vaccines
1 May 2009

Glycans are an important component of surface molecules in tuberculosis but their role in protective immunity is still largely unexplored. Carlos Rivera-Marrero and Richard D. Cumming of Emory University in the U.S. will develop high-throughput glycan microarrays to identify glycan antigens, determine their chemical structure, and design glycan-peptide vaccines for future testing.

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