Researchers proffer possible route to malaria vaccine

What do black widows, rattlesnakes and malaria-ridden mosquitos all have in common? For one, all of their bites can kill. And now, thanks to research from the Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, there may be a second similarity — they all have antivenom capacity. Researchers from the institute have discovered that generically attenuated parasites (GAPs) — or genetically altered mosquitos — may hold the key to the development of a malaria vaccine. Through the observation of GAP specimen — which interact with the body in the same manner as invective parasites, but without disease-causing capacity — and with the results of a previous vaccine attempt in mind, the study team developed a method with promise, sans the limitations of prior efforts (high dosage, intravenous administration). “Malaria is one of the world’s biggest killers, and threatens 40 percent of the world’s population, yet still no effective vaccine exists,” said Stefan Kappe, PhD, lead author of...