Next Generation Chemiluminescent Probes for Antimalarial Drug Discovery.

Malaria is caused by parasites of the genus and remains one of the most pressing human health problems. The spread of parasites resistant to or partially resistant to single or multiple drugs, including frontline antimalarial artemisinin and its derivatives, poses a serious threat to current and future malaria control efforts. drug assays are important for identifying new antimalarial compounds and monitoring drug resistance.

Revisiting the Effect of Pharmaceuticals on Transmission Stage Formation in the Malaria Parasite .

Malaria parasites rely on specialized stages, called gametocytes, to ensure human-to-human transmission. The formation of these sexual precursor cells is initiated by commitment of blood stage parasites to the sexual differentiation pathway. , the most virulent of six parasite species infecting humans, employs nutrient sensing to control the rate at which sexual commitment is initiated, and the presence of stress-inducing factors, including antimalarial drugs, has been linked to increased gametocyte production and .