The Unusual Mitochondrion of Malaria Parasite

Akhil Vaidya, Ph.D.,  Professor, Microbiology and Immunology at Drexel University and Director, Center for Molecular Parasitology

Dr. Vaidya's research interests center around understanding basic molecular functioning of malaria parasites with a view to develop new antimalarial drugs. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently awarded Drexel University College of Medicine a $2 million grant for a four-year project to investigate molecular pathways targeted by antimalarial pyrazole compounds. These compounds were first discovered by a research team from Drexel collaborating with an international group of investigators in the United States, Australia, Singapore and Switzerland for preclinical development of a potentially new antimalarial drug.

Over the last three years, the team's drug discovery and development work has been supported with a one million dollar grant from Medicines for Malaria Venture, a non-profit organization based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The luncheon is at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, February 13, 2013 in the Lenape Room of the University Club.