Last Updated: 17/12/2025
Genetic and structural approach to disease-vector control to protect US troops against Leishmaniasis and Malaria
Objectives
The objective of the proposed research is to develop new cornpounds to control disease vectors. The investigator’s hypothesis is that the insect-specific cysteine in acctylcholinesterase is a unique, unexplored, and viable target to develop insecticides with low resistance propensity and minimal toxicity to mammals for the control or disease vectors.
With expertise in chemistry, biophysics, biochemistry, molecular biology, toxicology, and entomology, the Yuan Pang’s laboratory proposes to develop selective and irreversible inhibitors of AChEs in sand flies and mosquitoes as effective and mammal-safe insecticides for disease vector control. This innovative approach exploits the unique insect-AChE gene and structure to impart selective toxicity and a low resistance propensity. The investigator will undertake structure-based design, synthesis, and bioevaluation of cysteinc-targeting inhibitors of acetylcholinesterases in sand flies and mosquitoes as mammal-safe insecticides.
May 2016 — Jan 2019
$763,200
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