News

Malaria parasites invade human red blood cells, they then disrupt them and infect others. Researchers at the University of Basel and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute have now developed so-called nanomimics of host cell membranes that trick the parasites. This could lead to novel treatment and vaccination strategies in the fight against malaria and other infectious diseases. Their research results have been published in the scientific journal ACS Nano.

“When the outbreak first started in March and we heard about this deadly virus, Ebola, I was in Kakata,” says Austin S. Jallah, a student nurse at Kakata University, in Margibi County, Liberia. “People really doubted the fact that Ebola was real, until we heard about the first case in the hospital. I wasn’t one of those who doubted though. Because I am a student nurse, I had read about the Ebola virus before, how it was first discovered back in 1976.” Jallah adds, “I am grateful that my Ebola experience can impact the knowledge of our health workers and help to eradicate this disease from Liberia.”