Join Us in Advancing
Malaria Vaccine Research
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We welcome PhD students from around the world. If you're interested in joining our research group, please reach out via the Contact page.
Our lab at the Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University (Matsuyama, Japan), is dedicated to innovative approaches in malaria vaccine development and genome-wide next-generation serology. A key strength of our research is the use of the wheat germ cell-free protein expression system to produce malaria proteins that are difficult to express using conventional platforms such as E. coli, yeast, or mammalian cells.
This eukaryotic-like system is particularly well suited for synthesizing Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, and P. knowlesi proteins. Importantly, it does not introduce glycosylation, which is advantageous for expressing proteins from organisms—such as malaria parasites—that typically lack such modifications. The system enables the production of properly folded and biologically active proteins without the need for artificial refolding or fusion tags. Over the past decade, we have constructed more than 4,000 expression plasmids and generated over 600 rabbit antibodies against malaria antigens.
Taken from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parint.2020.102224
To analyze antibody responses, we utilize the AlphaScreen system, which allows high-throughput, no-wash detection of antigen-antibody interactions. This platform provides higher sensitivity and a broader dynamic range than ELISA or Luminex, and is well suited for serological studies using samples from malaria-endemic regions and controlled human malaria infection (CHMI) trials.
Through these technologies, we identified PfRipr as a promising blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate. We further defined a truncated region, PfRipr5, which elicits antibodies with strong in vitro parasite growth-inhibitory activity. PfRipr5 is now undergoing preclinical evaluation as a potential next-generation vaccine component.
By integrating advanced expression and screening systems, we aim to address long-standing challenges in malaria vaccine development—particularly those posed by drug-resistant parasites and the complex biology of Plasmodium. The wheat germ system continues to be a powerful and scalable platform for producing functional malaria proteins and accelerating vaccine discovery.
To learn more, read the article from Nature Portfolio:
How ‘reverse vaccinology’ is identifying targets for a new malaria vaccine
https://www.nature.com/articles/d42473-023-00093-w