On World Malaria Day 2019, a new resource is available for malaria researchers - the Guide to Malaria Pharmacology has been developed in Edinburgh to facilitate identification of new drugs to combat the disease. Image Female Anopheles mosquitoes, required for the spread of the Plasmodium parasite that causes malaria. Malaria is caused by the single-celled Plasmodium parasite, spread through bite of an infected mosquito. It is still a devastating disease: each year over 200 million people are infected and over 400,000 people die from it, many of them children less than 5 years old. There is no effective vaccine and incidence of drug resistance is rising. There is still a significant need for new and effective drugs. A new pharmacology database optimised for malaria research The Guide to Pharmacology Database has provided researchers with information about existing drugs and drug targets, to aid development of new medicinal compounds. IUPHAR/BPS Guide to PHARMACOLOGY database – GtoPdb Now, new work carried out by Prof Jamie Davies and his team in the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the University of Edinburgh, has extended this database to include additional information about the activity and target interactions of antimalarial compounds, creating the IUPHAR/MMV Guide to Malaria Pharmacology - GtoMPdb. IUPHAR/MMV Guide to MALARIA PHARMACOLOGY – GtoMPdb This new guide provides a searchable database optimised for malaria researchers, with details of potential drug targets in the malaria parasite, and the prescription medicines and experimental drugs that act on them. This resource represents the first single purpose-built and open access portal, with expert curated information on Plasmodium molecular targets and the antimalarial compounds that act on them, including approved drugs, clinical candidates and research leads. It is hoped that this initiative will facilitate access across the malaria research community to compound lead, target and efficacy data integrated from global R&D efforts. Joint initiative GtoMPdb is being developed as a joint initiative between Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) and the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR). Medicines for Malaria Venture International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology The work to develop the new Malaria Pharmacology database has also received advice from an international expert committee, including leading Edinburgh researchers Alex Rowe and David Cavanagh, both based in the School of Biological Sciences. Malaria and Edinburgh Malaria and Edinburgh have a long association. Most notably, it was here that Patrick Manson announced Ronald Ross’s discovery of the malaria parasite’s mosquito cycle at a meeting of the British Medical Association in July 1898. Ross’s 1902 Nobel Prize awarded for this discovery is in the Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street. Edinburgh research combatting malaria continues to be world-leading, including research by Sarah Reece, David Cavanagh, Graeme Cowan, Phil Spence, Alex Rowe and Eleanor Riley addressing key questions in immunology and evolutionary biology. Read more about their work at the links below. David Cavanagh - Development of malaria vaccines Graeme Cowan - Antibody repertoires in malaria infection Sarah Reece - Evolution of malaria parasites Eleanor Riley - Immunology of malaria infection Alex Rowe - Host parasite interactions in life-threatening malaria Phil Spence - Development of immunity to malaria in children Related news On World Mosquito Day 2019 highlighting researchers at the University of Edinburgh studying malaria Parasite study could aid efforts to treat malaria Hungry parasites: when hosts eat, their parasites do too New study from University of Edinburgh shows malaria parasites adapt to mosquito feeding times Meal times may be key to managing malaria, parasite study shows Malaria study reveals gene variants linked to risk of disease Malaria: a sticky problem at the Edinburgh International Science Festival More information Jamie Davies lab website Centre for Discovery Brain Science, University of Edinburgh Publication date 25 Apr, 2019
