Global health R&D at work in Idaho
Researchers from the University of Idaho (U of I) are advancing a novel approach to block the transmission of malaria by “starving” the parasite that causes it. By first creating and then studying a genetically modified strain of mosquito resistant to the parasite, U of I scientists were able to pinpoint the specific biological process responsible for this resistance. They then identified an existing drug that when fed to mosquitoes, causes their bodies to convert an essential vitamin into another compound, in essence starving the parasite of a nutrient it needs to survive. While research remains ongoing, the scientists envision the drug being administered to mosquitoes via bait stations placed in areas with high malaria prevalence and used as part of a multipronged approach—alongside antimalarials, insecticides, vaccines, and other interventions—to reduce the global burden of this deadly disease.