Structures, Drug Design, AI and a Global Network on Neglected Tropical Diseases

Abstract:
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are a highly diverse group of infections that mainly affect low-income populations in the global south. Important NTDs such as Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are caused by protozoan pathogens, single-cell eukaryotic parasites with a complex life cycle. These diseases remain a significant global health problem due to the lack of any vaccine and the limited efficacy and high toxicity of current treatments. Improved diagnostics,  new targets and better therapies are therefore desperately needed. Here we will show examples where structural biology with all its facets contributes to our understanding of pathogen-host interactions and opens the way to structure-based drug design. As this work is a result of a large global network with partners from three continents the challenges of building an equitable partnership will be presented and discussed.

Host: Prof. Lynn Kamerlin