Project: Bromodomain proteins of Plasmodium falciparum as drug targets
Duffy Group
Plasmodium falciparum is the parasite responsible for most malaria deaths. It has a complex lifecycle involving multiple forms within two different hosts. This complex development is regulated by epigenetic control of transcription. We have shown that chromatin state and gene regulation in P. falciparum is dependent on bromodomain proteins (PfBDPs) recruiting regulatory complexes to promoters and other regulatory sites through PfBDPs binding to acetylated histones. By combining RNAseq of parasites with mutant PfBDPs with chromatin immunoprecipitation ChIPseq we have revealed where some of the PfBDPs act in the genome and the consequence of their removal. Two PfBDPs remain to be analysed. This project would reveal where these PfBDPs were located in the genome and how they affected gene expression. This would help inform basic understanding of parasite biology and determine the PfBDP’s utility as drug targets.
Project Site: Bio21 Institute
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Duffy Group
3 vacancies
Our lab is interested in vaccines and drugs for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. We aim to validate conserved, virulent, P. falciparum antigens as vaccine candidates to protect from severe malaria disease. We also validate epigenetic regulators as drug targets and establish specific screening assays to identify inhibitors of these regulators that could be used as novel therapeutics.
Duffy Group Current Projects
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Identifying globally conserved malaria virulence determinants as vaccine candidates
PhD/MPhil, Master of Biomedical Science, Honours
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Bromodomain proteins of Plasmodium falciparum as drug targets
Honours
Research degrees at the Doherty Institute are administered by the University of Melbourne.