i-NEVER REST: Investigating the role and impact of Nano-sized Extracellular VesiclEs and dRug RESisTance in protozoan diseases

 

Parasitic infections remain pervasive in many parts of the world. Vector-borne protozoan infections have a significant impact on global health, affecting populations and costing economies billions of dollars annually. The current global crisis in healthcare has worsened in recent decades due to the spread of antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) in protozoa parasites. This makes current treatments more likely to become ineffective in the future.

In recent years, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been recognized for their role in cell communication, host-pathogen interactions and AMR. These nanometric, membrane-enclosed particles are released into the extracellular space by a wide range of organisms, and their discovery has led to a wealth of potential applications. This project is based on a network of research teams in Canada, USA, Israel, Brazil and Ghana working on a common goal to explore the use of EVs to reduce the adverse impacts of three major human parasitic diseases: malaria, leishmaniasis and chagas disease.

The project was selected for funding during the second research competition of the Joint Canada-Israel Health Research Program – Phase II (Communicable Diseases). The program is a partnership between IDRC, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Israel Science Foundation and the Azrieli Foundation.