The Ramón Areces Foundation Renews its Commitment to Basic Malaria Science at ISGlobal

Although it may sometimes seem distant, basic science is what opens the door to entirely new advances, while applied science improves what already exists. In the specific case of malaria, this allows us to understand, for example, how the parasite and the human interact, knowledge that is key to developing vaccines, drugs, and other tools to control the disease.

Recognizing this importance, the Ramón Areces Foundation renews its support to ISGlobal through a collaboration agreement that will allow the research staff in basic malaria science at the Institute to continue advancing in strategic areas such as parasite molecular biology, intercellular communication, immunology, identification of new drugs, and development of new diagnostic tools.

This support not only funds research but has also been key in equipping the new ISGlobal laboratories at the Parc Científic de Barcelona, creating an innovative environment that facilitates collaboration with other leading institutions and strengthens the Institute’s international position.

Six groups, comprehensive research

The Ramón Areces Foundation’s collaboration directly supports six research groups:

• Malaria Epigenetics
• Malaria Physiopathology and Genomics
• Glycobiology and Malaria Parasite Biology
• Malaria Immunology
• Nanomalaria
• PvREX - Plasmodium vivax and Exosome

These teams study everything from the biology of host-parasite interactions and the molecular bases of physiopathology to the host immune response, generating fundamental knowledge for designing new vaccines, therapies, and alternative control methods.

Hernando A. del Portillo, ICREA researcher and director of the Malaria and Neglected Parasitic Diseases program at ISGlobal, emphasizes the value of this alliance: “Basic science is the foundation on which we build the tools of the future. The ongoing support from the Ramón Areces Foundation allows us to delve into the molecular mechanisms the parasite uses to infect us, and it has also enabled us to equip our laboratories with the necessary technology to remain international references. Understanding the biology of the malaria parasite is the only way to end the disease.”