Breadcrumb
Research & Innovation
Searcher - Research groups

Research groups

Search research groups

Search Bar
Search Bar
Asset Publisher

Nanomalaria

Research & Innovation
Research

Nanomalaria

Nanoparticles and Malaria Research Group

Nanomalaria Group - EN

Main research lines of the Nanomalaria group:

  • Definition of polymeric nanocarriers which combine into a single chemical structure drug encapsulating capacity, antiplasmodial activity, specific targeting to Plasmodium-infected red blood cells (pRBCs), and affordable synthesis cost. This line of research is currently being adapted to develop new nanomedicines for leishmaniasis.
  • Application of heparin as a dual agent with antimalarial and nanovector targeting activities toward pRBCs.
  • Targeting Plasmodium stages in the mosquito vector, which will bypass long and costly clinical trials that often delay or prevent the development of nanomedicines for malaria.
  • Use of red blood cells (RBCs) as antimalarial carriers, an innovative strategy that confronts Plasmodium with drugs at the moment of erythrocyte infection by the pathogen. Using this approach that provided excellent in vivo results where malaria-infected mice were freed of parasites and cured, we have developed new immunoliposomes carrying drug combinations for their targeted delivery to RBCs and gametocytes, the transmission stage shared between humans and the Anopheles mosquito vector which is a preferred target of malaria eradication efforts.
  • Development of DNA aptamers as new malaria diagnostic agents.
  • Identification, cloning and characterization of the proteins mediating vesicular transport in Plasmodium, using nanotechnological femtoinjection techniques in giant unilamellar vesicles.
  • Discovery of functional protein aggregation in live Plasmodium and Leishmania parasites, and of a new family of drugs targeting this process.

Projects

With the support of:
Fundación Ramón Areces

Team

Leadership

Xavier Fernández Busquets
Xavier Fernández Busquets Research Professor

ISGlobal Team

YUNUEN AVALOS PADILLA
YUNUEN AVALOS PADILLA
Lucía Román
Lucía Román Postdoctoral Fellow
Claudia Camarero
Claudia Camarero Project Assistant
Dunja Arsenijevic
Dunja Arsenijevic Student
Miriam Ramírez
Miriam Ramírez Laboratory Technician
Pia Alberione
Pia Alberione
Daniela Currea
Daniela Currea Student

Our Team

Maria Pia Alberione
Maria Pia Alberione Predoctoral Researcher
Yunuen Ávalos
Yunuen Ávalos Visiting Postdoctoral Fellow

RELATED CONTENT

Research, Malaria Elimination

Nanovectors Could Improve the Combined Administration of Antimalarial Drugs

 08.08.2019
According to the study, the strategy has the added advantage of targeting the transmissible phase of the parasite- the gametocyte
Research

A New Vehicle that Increases the Efficacy of Antimalarial Drugs
The strategy targets the drug to red cells and has a dual therapeutic and prophylactic effect
Research

Nanoparticles as Drug Carriers—a New Strategy That Could Limit the Development of Resistance in Malaria Parasites
ISGlobal and IBEC researchers collaborate in a study on polymeric salts published in the Journal of Controlled Release
pRBC web
Research

Drug-loaded Nanovectors Covered with Antibodies Represent an Innovative Approach to Combat Malaria

This content is related to the following SDGs:

Goal 1: End Poverty in All its Forms Everywhere
Goal 1: End Poverty in All its Forms Everywhere
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries: