Currently we have focused on two pathways in malaria parasite to design antimalarial agents; Intracellular signaling molecules such as protein kinases and Proteases. We have screened heterocyclic compound library, drug library, plant phytochemicals and molecules designed using ligand-based approach, to identify potent antimalarial agents (Eur Food Res Technol, 234: 905-911, Curr Drug Discov Technol, 10, 85-91, Med Chem Res, 22; 4737-4744, Eur J Med Chem, 70, 607-612.). The best molecules from the search are found to exhibit anti-malarial activity against plasmodium falciparum 3D7. Now we are taking these molecules and checking their activity in mice and other animal models. In addition, these molecules are serving as the first line of molecules to design potent anti-malarial agents.
Phagocytic cells such as monocytes,macrophages and neutrophils plays a crucial role in innate immune response and all are involved in phagocytosis of IRBCs. Macrophage often use pattern recognition receptors, including Scavenger receptor to recognize as well as phagocytose invading microbes. Out of them CD36,plays a pivotal role in non-opsonic phagocytosis of P.falciparum infected RBCs. Here our current focus is to understand the crucial signaling mechanism behind CD36 desregulation and its impact on cytokine secretion during malaria.
