Following the sequencing of the human genome, scientists at the University of Glasgow are working towards a new drug or vaccine against malaria by comparing the genomes of humans and malaria parasites.

Malaria is the developing world's greatest killer disease. Around 300 million people are infected each year and up to three million die.

The International Malaria Genome Consortium has received funding of £1.6M from the Wellcome Trust. The consortium involves scientists from the Universities of Glasgow and Oxford who will work with colleagues at the world famous Sanger Centre, near Cambridge

"We are going to sequence six species of malaria parasite" says Dr Mike Turner of the Institute of Biomedical & Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow. "This is the largest ever genome sequencing project for a parasite. We will sequence more than 500 million bases of DNA."

One of the best ways to find a new drug or vaccine against malaria is to compare the genomes of humans and malaria parasites. Genes found only in the parasite are the best and safest targets to try and 'hit'. This is done by designing a drug or vaccine which will target the product of a particular gene in the parasite without any harmful effects on other species. The human genome project was completed last year and a malaria genome project will finish in 2002.

The consortium has recognised two further needs. Firstly, they will undertake a second genome sequence from the species of malaria that kills most people, Plasmodium falciparum. The first strain of parasite sequenced came from the Netherlands, but the second will come from Africa, where most deaths occur. 'There will be some differences in the genes between the two strains", said Mike Turner. "They may be small but they can be crucial. As long as we know about these differences we can design drugs and vaccines to get round them".

The second objective is to obtain sequence information on other malaria parasites. This is because some malaria research has to be done on 'model malarias' that don't infect humans because the human malarias infect only humans and monkeys.

Further information for the media at http://www.newsdesk.gla.ac.uk/pressreleases

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For Further Information contact:

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Press Office: 0141-330 3535

First published: 10 October 2001