title: Malaria Vaccine Development: Focusing Field Erythrocyte Invasion Studies on Phenotypic Diversity: The West African Merozoite Invasion Network (WAMIN).
abstract: Erythrocyte invasion by Plasmodium falciparum merozoites is an essential step for parasite survival and proliferation. Invasion is mediated by multiple ligands, which could be promising vaccine targets. The usage and sequence of these ligands differs between parasites, yet most studies of them have been carried out in only a few laboratory-adapted lines. To understand the true extent of natural variation in invasion phenotypes and prioritize vaccine candidates on a relevant evidence base, we need to develop and apply standardized assays to large numbers of field isolates. The West African Merozoite Invasion Network (WAMIN) has been formed to meet these goals, expand training in Plasmodium phenotyping, and perform large-scale field phenotyping studies in order to prioritize blood stage vaccine candidates.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology and Virology, Le Dantec Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal.
authors.forename: Ambroise D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Ahouidi
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Unit, Fajara, Banjul, The Gambia.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amambua-Ngwa
authors.affiliation: West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens and Department of Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Gordon A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Awandare
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Bacteriology and Virology, Le Dantec Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Dakar, Senegal; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Bei
authors.affiliation: Pathogen Molecular Biology Department, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Odontostomatology, University of Bamako, Bamako, Mali.
authors.forename: Mahamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diakite
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Manoj T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Duraisingh
authors.affiliation: Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK. Electronic address: jr9@sanger.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Julian C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Rayner
authors.affiliation: Malaria Programme, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK.
authors.forename: Zenon A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Zenonos
mesh_terms: D000354:Africa, Western; D000818:Animals; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000469:parasitology*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006801:Humans; D017780:Malaria Vaccines; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010641:Phenotype; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D012106:Research / Q000592:standards
chemical_list: D017780:Malaria Vaccines
keywords: alternative receptors; antibody inhibition assays; invasion; malaria; merozoite; vaccine