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Cenix BioScience and The Instituto de Medicina Molecular
Initiate First Genome-Scale RNAi Screen for Novel Malaria Genes
Dresden, Germany, and Lisboa, Portugal, June 29, 2005 -
Cenix BioScience GmbH (Dresden), the leading specialist in advanced RNA
interference (RNAi)-based research services, and the Instituto de Medicina
Molecular (IMM, Lisboa) have initiated a research collaboration to identify
human genes required for the malaria infection process, using systematic
genome-scale RNAi screening. The identified genes will represent excellent
candidates for the development of novel anti-malarial therapeutics.
The laboratory of Dr. Maria Mota, based at the IMM, has pioneered in recent
years an in vitro assay system to monitor the crucial process of
sporozoite infection using the Malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei ANKA
with cultured human liver cells. Recognizing the assay’s enormous discovery
potential if it could be applied at the genome scale, Dr. Mota approached Cenix
BioScience in 2004 to address this challenge. The Dresden-based specialist,
renown for its expertise in combining high throughput RNAi with high content
microscopy-based assays in human cells, successfully completed a collaborative
pilot study to adapt and optimize Mota’s malarial infection assay for high
throughput RNAi screening. The resulting dataset established the solid proof of
principle needed to secure the grant funding for the actual screen.
This screen, involving both Cenix and IMM scientists, is now under way in
Dresden and, based on the level of funding secured to date from the European
Science Foundation and the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal), will
cover over 800 human genes including all known kinases, key regulators of nearly
all cellular pathways.
“We feel very excited and privileged to have this opportunity to combine our
expertise with Dr. Mota’s, in helping to combat this devastating disease”, noted
Dr. Christophe Echeverri, CEO/CSO of Cenix BioScience. “This project perfectly
illustrates how Cenix, by offering flexible, customized genomics research
services, can synergize with and greatly extend the research capabilities of
leading academic institutes like the IMM.”
“To our knowledge, this is the first systematic genome-scale RNAi screen for
novel anti-malarial target genes” added Dr. Maria Mota of the IMM. “We could not
have envisaged such an ambitious endeavor without the involvement of Cenix: it
is therefore extremely gratifying to see that granting agencies have recognized
the powerful synergies created by combining our own malaria-focused expertise
with Cenix’s genomic RNAi screening capabilities.”
While the ongoing project is already yielding novel discoveries, the two
partners are continuing their search for further funding sources, public or
private, to extend this crucially important study to its fullest possible scope,
i.e. the entire human genome. With Dr. Mota’s excellent assay and Cenix’s
leading track record in this field, including arguably the most comprehensive
genome-wide RNAi screen published to date (Nature 434:462, Mar 2005),
such a goal is technically well within reach for the group.
About Malaria
Malaria remains the most devastating parasitic disease worldwide. Approximately
40% of the world population lives in areas with the risk of malaria. In any year,
approximately 10% of the global population will suffer from malaria – 500
millions clinical cases – and more than two million die as a result. In Africa,
malaria kills one child in 20 before five years of age. In addition to causing
enormous human suffering, malaria impedes the economic development and stability
of many developing countries. Malaria is caused by the infection of the
protozoan parasite Plasmodium and it is transmitted by female Anopheles
mosquitoes. Attempts to eradicate malaria have so far been unsuccessful. Their
failure is attributed to increasing resistance to insecticides in the mosquito
vector and to anti-malarial drugs in the parasite. Due to the continuous
emergence of drug resistance there are now fewer tools to control malaria. Liver
infection by Plasmodium is the first obligatory step of infection and it
lasts a week in the human infection. These characteristics make of the liver
stage an ideal target for the development of novel intervention strategies
against the infection. Understanding the intricate interactions occurring
between Plasmodium and the host cells not only offers a new perspective
into mammalian cell biology but also contributes to the design of rational
approaches to combat malaria infections.
About the Instituto de Medicina Molecular
The Instituto de Medicina Molecular (IMM), located on the campus of the
University of Lisbon School of Medicine, is an Associate Laboratory of the
National Ministry of Science and Higher Education. The mission of the Institute
is to foster basic, clinical and translational biomedical Research with the aim
of contributing to a better understanding of disease mechanisms, developing
novel predictive tests, improving diagnostics tools and developing new
therapeutic
approaches. For more information, please visit the IMM’s website:
www.imm.ul.pt About
Cenix BioScience GmbH
Cenix BioScience GmbH is a pioneer and leader in high throughput (HT),
genome-driven applications of RNA interference (RNAi) for the discovery and
validation of new therapeutic drug targets. Founded in 1999 as the first
biotechnology company specializing exclusively in HT-RNAi, Cenix has accumulated
unparalleled depth and breadth of experience in this field, combining high
content phenotypic analyses with proprietary genome-wide RNAi libraries for use
in key experimental systems, including a wide range of human and rodent cells.
Cenix is now making its unique expertise accessible to industry and academic
researchers through highly customizable research services. Please contact Cenix
or visit the company’s web site
www.cenix-bioscience.com for more information.
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