BPoD has moved!

BPoD has recently changed our domain name - we can now be found at bpod.org.uk

Please update your bookmarks!

Now in our 13th year of bringing you beautiful imagery from biomedical science every day

Search the archive of over 4000 images

Blocking Malaria
28 July 2014

Blocking Malaria

Plasmodium falciparum – one of the five Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria – spend the majority of their lives in human red blood cells (where they are seen pictured here in green/purple). During this time, they produce over 450 proteins, allowing them to rebuild the surface of the host cell and avoid being discovered by our immune cells. These proteins also help the parasites take in nutrients and increase their virulence. But transporting these building blocks within the host cell relies on an enzyme called plasmepsin V (PMV) and now researchers have developed a compound called WEHI-916, which prevents PMV from working properly. As soon as PMV is no longer active, the malaria parasites die. As PMV is such an important enzyme, targeting it with antimalarial drugs could prevent infections from the outset, by stopping the development and release of Plasmodium ’s crucial proteins.

Written by Katie Panteli

Search The Archive

Submit An Image

Follow on Tumblr

Follow on Instagram

What is BPoD?

BPoD stands for Biomedical Picture of the Day. Managed by the MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences until Jul 2023, it is now run independently by a dedicated team of scientists and writers. The website aims to engage everyone, young and old, in the wonders of biology, and its influence on medicine. The ever-growing archive of more than 4000 research images documents over a decade of progress. Explore the collection and see what you discover. Images are kindly provided for inclusion on this website through the generosity of scientists across the globe.

Read More

BPoD is also available in Catalan at www.bpod.cat with translations by the University of Valencia.