| Grant number: | 11/19703-6 |
| Support Opportunities: | Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct) |
| Start date: | May 01, 2012 |
| End date: | August 31, 2016 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Biochemistry |
| Principal Investigator: | Carsten Wrenger |
| Grantee: | Flávia Menezes Zimbres |
| Host Institution: | Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
Abstract Aim of the proposed project is to identify and characterize DNA aptamers binding by high affinity and specificity to proteins -so far- unidentified parasite proteins on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected cells; the etiological agent of Malaria. For the identification of aptamers will be used the technique of combinatorial library, known as SELEX (English: Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment). It is proposed that each of these aptamers will identified a specific epitope of the surface of infected erythrocytes. Therefore, identified aptamers will be used for a ligand-mediated target purification of their binding partners on the erythrocyte cell surface. Moreover, the high-affinity DNA aptamers will be analysed for their effect on parasite survival and replication in plasmodial culture. The submitted research project will fill gaps in our present knowledge of secreted erythrocyte surface and will assess the blockade of the functions of these proteins as a novel strategy for chemotherapy. (AU) | |
| News published in Agência FAPESP Newsletter about the scholarship: | |
| More itemsLess items | |
| TITULO | |
| Articles published in other media outlets ( ): | |
| More itemsLess items | |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) | |
| VEICULO: TITULO (DATA) | |