Australia Visualizes New Malaria Vaccine
(MENAFN) For the first time, scientists in Australia have visualized a vital protein structure within malaria parasites, unveiling a potential breakthrough target for future vaccines that could stop the spread of the disease.
Using advanced cryo-electron microscopy techniques, a research team headed by the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne successfully mapped the intricate architecture of a protein group essential for the malaria parasite’s fertilization process inside mosquitoes, according to a statement released by the institute on Wednesday.
The findings, shared in the journal Science, led to the creation of a new mRNA-based vaccine prototype.
This vaccine hinders the malaria parasite’s ability to multiply inside mosquitoes, thereby halting transmission before it can infect people.
In laboratory studies, the mRNA vaccine prototype triggered strong antibody responses that identified the parasite, significantly reducing its transmission through mosquitoes by as much as 99.7%.
Malaria continues to rank among the most lethal infectious illnesses globally, causing more than 600,000 deaths annually.
Although malaria parasites are widespread in humans, only a small number can replicate within mosquito hosts.
"The success of the malaria vaccine program illustrates the versatility of mRNA technology, which has many applications beyond the COVID vaccines," explained Colin Pouton of the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who played a key role in the vaccine's development.
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