Employing institution: Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Douala
Host institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Project title:
Culture optimization, compounds isolation and drug-like property calculation strategies for bacterial and fungi endophytes with anti-plasmodial potentials
Dr Jean hold his PhD in Drug Sciences, jointly awarded by the Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar and the University of Yaoundé I. He is a Lecturer of Pharmacology at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences. He is leading a research unit working on drug discovery from endophytes against a wide range of infectious agents, including Plasmodium. His goal is to contribute to the fight with new and original natural chemical scaffolds to definitely eradicate malaria from the world.
AREF Fellowship research project
Malaria is still the world’s leading cause of death. One of the WHO’s priorities include finding new drugs. This makes natural substrates a valuable starting point for new antimalarial drug discovery. Taking biodiversity into consideration, endophytes become a promising option. Endophyte are plant endosymbionts that remain poorly studied for their pharmacological potential. We have successfully screened some endophytic extracts on Plasmodium falciparum. The current study is designed to optimize secondary metabolite production by endophytes and isolate hits that can target both the asexual and sexual (gametocytes) stages of P. falciparum. It is expected that five new hits will be discovered per year from the endophytes. These compounds will be made freely available to contribute to the global effort against Malaria.
Quote
“Endophytes just need few to provide us with wonderful anti-infective natural drugs. Think about the amazing history of penicillin and you’ll see what I mean!”
Dr Jean expects to start his fellowship in October 2024