IISER Pune Scientist Accredited by EMBO for Malaria Drug Resistance Research

Pune: Krishnapal KarmodiaA faculty member in the Department of Biology, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, has earned a place in the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO) Global Investigator Network. This recognition highlights his groundbreaking contributions to understanding drug resistance Plasmodium falciparumThe parasite that causes malaria.
Karmodia’s fascination with malaria began during his PhD at JNCASR Bangalore in 2003, where he explored the parasite’s enzymes. “The complexity of malaria – how the parasite survives in the human body, its drug resistance and the lack of an effective vaccine – attracted me,” he said. Over the years, his focus narrowed to Plasmodium falciparum and its drug resistance mechanisms, particularly artemisinin, the primary drug used to treat malaria.
Artemisinin resistance Malaria is a significant threat to treatment. Without understanding how resistance works, we risk missing our most effective treatments, he added.
A release by IISER Pune Karmodia’s team at IISER Pune says it has made significant progress, particularly in identifying resistance pathways across more than 2,000 parasite genomes. A recent one Genome Sequencing A project on isolates from Midnapore, India—where artemisinin resistance was first reported—identified novel mutations associated with resistance.
The complexity of Plasmodium falciparum, with its genetic diversity, remains a challenge. “Resistance can manifest in different ways, making it difficult to study. Using advanced sequencing technology, we have been able to detect patterns and gain deeper insights,” Karmodia said. Despite these advances, a definitive marker for drug resistance in Indian isolates remains elusive. remains
His research has practical implications for fighting malaria. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there were 1,76,522 malaria cases and 83 deaths in 2022. According to the State Health Intelligence Bureau of the Maharashtra State Health Department in 2023, a total of 109 deaths were confirmed. due to malaria, of which 69 were males.