Dr. Bismarck Dinko, a Lecturer in Parasitology and Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, hosted a research collaborator, Dr. Britta C. Urban from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), UK.
Dr. Britta C. Urban is a malaria immunologist and reader in Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the United Kingdom. She is currently collaborating with Dr. Dinko on a research project: “Immunobiology of malaria transmission” which is funded by the Wellcome Trust in the UK.
As part of her collaborative visit, Dr. Urban gave a seminar on the topic: “Cellular immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein – 1 (PfEMP1)” on Thursday, April 4, 2019 at the School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences auditorium, UHAS Main Campus .
In her presentation, Dr. Urban stated that, through research some tools are effective in fighting the transmission of the malaria parasite. Among these is the use of Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs), mosquito repellants, sprays and efficacious drugs for treatment such as artemisinin-based combination therapies. She further mentioned that, the parasite is very clever because it constantly escapes the antibody response the human host uses to kill parasites. The parasite does that by changing the antigens on its coat.
According to her, older children and adults living in malaria endemic areas develop an antibody repertoire against different variants of the PfEMP1 and further understanding of this antibody response could be exploited in the development of an anti-disease malaria vaccine. Dr. Britta Urban also said, the antibody profile differs between children with mild and severe malaria and this suggests that, aside the parasite factors, the host factors in a person’s body also play a role in the development of the disease.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Bismarck Dinko appreciated Professor John Owusu Gyapong, Vice Chancellor of UHAS, who was among the audience as well as the Staff and Students of the School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences and the University community for attending the seminar.