Dr Pawan Malhotra's group at ICGEB has been involved in understanding malaria parasite biology with an aim to identify new drug and vaccine targets. Recently the group has demonstrated Plasmodium Heme Detoxification Protein (HDP) protein as a target for new drug discovery (J. Med Chem. 2017). Earlier, the laboratory illustrated a hemoglobin degradation and Hemozoin (Hz) formation complex and showed the mode of action of two current anti-malarials; chloroquine and artimisinin. Presently they are working on the discovery new class of antimalarials that act on this pathway. A part of this work has been published in Proc Natl Acad Sci, USA, 2013. Dr Malhotra's group has illustrated "Methylene" of Plasmodium falciparum for the first time at asexual blood stages.
The group has performed systematic studies to identify 27 novel secretory proteins with adhesive, immunomodulatory and signaling domains and characterized two of these proteins; PfDegP and PfCCp1 for their roles in combating oxidative/thermal stresses. (Mol. Cell. Prot, 2009; FEBS J, 2013 & Biochem J, 2018). The group has also been involved in identifying novel receptor-ligand interactions with an aim to develop an efficacious malaria vaccine or drug that can block merozoite invasion of human RBCs. They identified ICAMs and Cyclophilin B as common receptors for the invasion of Mtb and malaria into their respective hosts (Nat Comm. 2015; 2017). In addition, they recently have shown a novel gliding complex in P.
falciparum that can be targeted for new antimalarial discovery. Dr. Mohammed Tarique is a Dr. D.S. Kothari Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences (CIRBSc), Jamia Millia Islamia, India. Holding a Ph.D.
in Plasmodium Biology from the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India, his research focuses on understanding the biology of plasmodium towards the development of novel drugs. He has published more than 20 research articles in leading peer-reviewed international journals. Currently serves on the editorial boards of numerous journals, including the International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology, American Journal of BioScience, and Cell & Cellular Life Sciences Journal.