This project builds on intra-African and international (pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions) collaborations to identify medicinal chemistry starting points from the screening of target-based chemical libraries against the causative agents of malaria, leishmaniasis and Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness.

This research proposes to apply new protocols that have been developed at RUBi combined with traditional computational drug discovery approaches to further improve our understanding of rational drug discovery in the context of tuberculosis and malaria. Additionally, where applicable, it aims to identify novel hits from African natural products against these diseases as screening of them may lead to the development of novel pharmaceutics in Africa

The propensity of malaria parasites to develop resistance motivates the ongoing discovery and development of antimalarials with new modes of action. Heinrich Hoppe’s research focuses on employing novel bioassays to find inhibitors of Arf1, a GTPase that regulates protein secretion, in order to validate it as an antimalarial drug target

Dahabo Adi Galgallo of the Kenya Field Epidemology and Laboratory Training Programme (FELTP) in Kenya, will develop a waterproof, coin-sized, solar-powered GPS-tracking device that will be fitted into cultural jewelry of expectant mothers in pastoralist and nomadic communities so health workers can easily locate and provide them with pre- and antenatal care where they are. Integrated maternal mobile health delivered to pastoralist women will decrease maternal mortality, infant mortality and improve vaccination coverage, which will improve infant survival in this population because women can easily be traced and care given. They will identify expectant women in Marsabit county and immunize them against tetanus, conduct laboratory profiling to detect any diseases for early intervention and provide continuous antenatal care from the duration of the pregnancy to birth and then immunization of newborns up to 12-month in tandem with continuous health education.