IISER Pune Scientist Recognized by EMBO for Malaria Drug Resistance Research – Newz9

PUNE: Krishanpal Karmodiyaschool member within the division of biology at Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Pune, earned a spot within the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) international investigator community. This recognition highlights his groundbreaking contributions to understanding drug resistance in plasmodium falciparumthe malaria-inflicting parasite.
Karmodiya’s fascination with malaria started throughout his PhD at JNCASR Bangalore in 2003, the place he explored the parasite’s enzymes. “The complexity of malaria—how the parasite survives in the human body, its drug resistance, and lack of effective vaccines—drew me in,” he stated. Over the years, his focus narrowed to plasmodium falciparum and its drug resistance mechanisms, notably artemisinin, the first drug used to deal with malaria.
Artemisinin resistance poses a major risk to malaria therapy. Without understanding how resistance works, we threat dropping considered one of our best remedies, he added.
A launch by IISER Pune said that Karmodiya’s group at IISER Pune made important strides, notably in ana lysing over 2,000 parasite genomes to uncover resistance pathways. A current genome sequencing venture of isolates from Midnapur in India — the place artemisinin resistance was first reported — recognized novel mutations linked to resistance.
The complexity of Plasmodium falciparum, with its genetic range, stays a problem. “Resistance can manifest in different ways, making it hard to study. By leveraging advanced sequencing technology, we have been able to detect patterns and gain deeper insights,” Karmodiya stated. Despite these advances, a definitive marker for drug resistance in Indian isolates stays elusive.
His analysis has sensible implications for combating malaria. According to ministry of well being and household welfare, there have been 1,76,522 malaria instances and 83 deaths in 2022. In 2023, as per Maharashtra state well being division’s state bureau of well being intelligence very important statistics, a complete of 109 deaths have been licensed to have been precipitated. on account of malaria, of which 69 have been amongst males.