Birth control for parasites: researchers reveal new vaccine target for malaria

Scientists have identified a protein involved in the life cycle of the malarial parasite, paving the way for a new vaccine to reduce disease spread. Malaria, a disease caused by the transfer of the Plasmodium parasite from certain mosquitos to humans, is responsible for 429,000 deaths every year according to the World Health Organisation. The life cycle of this parasite takes place both inside humans and mosquitos, allowing it to spread rapidly between the two species. Many in the scientific community believe that the key to eliminating the disease is to stop humans infected with the parasite from passing it on to potentially dozens of mosquitos, each of which would then go on to infect more people. Following a two-year study, researchers at Imperial have unlocked an innovative way to break this vicious circle by inhibiting the parasites' life cycle at the point of fertilisation. On the surface of the reproductive cells of male malarial parasites is a protein called HAP2. An Imperial-led research team, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Maryland, have discovered that by blocking a small, easily targetable part of the HAP2 protein, fertilisation between the male and female parasites is disrupted.