Employing institution: Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Host institution: London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Project title:
Building capacity in malaria parasite genomics, bioinformatics, and bioassays to lead research in malaria parasite transmission-blocking drug discovery and gametocytocidal drug resistance
Seth holds an MPhil in Immunology and a PhD in Molecular Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases, with an interest in immunogenomics and drug discovery. He was trained at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens for his PhD and is a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. His current research, which Professor Mohamed Mutocheluh inspired, focuses on discovering therapeutics blocking malaria parasite transmission and identifying antimalarial drug-resistance markers through genomic surveillance.
AREF Fellowship research project
Malaria accounted for nearly 250 million clinical cases and over 600,000 deaths globally in 2022, disproportionately affecting children in Africa. Also, drug resistance and treatment failure are the most significant risks to malaria elimination; hence, after the Fellowship, Seth will establish and lead a research group and set up a parasite culture laboratory at KNUST to search for novel antimalarial medicines from African natural products that block parasite transmission and identify drug-resistance markers to get ahead of drug resistance. Notably, reducing the malaria burden in Africa will substantially reduce child mortality and greatly benefit Africa’s socioeconomic progress, human health and well-being. Seth will also train next-generation African scientists in drug discovery and genomic surveillance, building more capacity for malaria research.
On his placement at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Seth will be trained by Dr Michael Delves, who is well-versed in discovering transmission-blocking antimalarial drugs and Professor Susana Campino, an expert in malaria parasite genomics. Seth will acquire hands-on skills in malaria parasite genomics, in vitro malaria parasite culture, and gametocytocidal drug testing. He will apply the skills acquired in Dr Oumou Maiga Ascofare’s Laboratory at KNUST, contributing to the growing research capacity on malaria in Ghana
Quote
”Building research capacity in drug discovery and genomic surveillance is an excellent opportunity for Seth to join the expedition to achieve a malaria-free world.”
Dr Seth expects to start his fellowship in July 2024