Using Expression Information to Discover New Drug and Vaccine Targets in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium Falciparum

Abstract

The recent completion of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum genome has opened the door for applying a variety of genomic-based systems biology approaches that complement existing gene-by-gene methods of investigation. Transcriptomic analyses of P. falciparum using DNA microarrays has allowed for the rapid elucidation of gene function, parasite drug response, and in vivo expression profiles, as well as general mechanisms guiding the parasite life cycle that are vital to disease pathogenesis. The results of these studies have identified promising novel gene targets for the development of new drug and vaccine therapies.

Keywords: :

• bioinformatics
• expression
• functional genomics
• genome sequence
• malaria
• microarrays
• Plasmodium falciparum

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Matthew De Keyser for the artwork design. JAY is supported by a pre-doctoral Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. EAW is supported by a New Scholars award from The Ellison Foundation and a 2004 Keck Distinguished Young Scholar in Medical Research award from the WM Keck Foundation.

Additional information

Funding

We would like to thank Matthew De Keyser for the artwork design. JAY is supported by a pre-doctoral Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation. EAW is supported by a New Scholars award from The Ellison Foundation and a 2004 Keck Distinguished Young Scholar in Medical Research award from the WM Keck Foundation.