Malaria

We posit that the structures of important vaccine targets will reveal both interesting biology, and enable rational development of vaccines. These vaccines will focus the immune response on conserved epitopes, and avoid masking by polymorphic epitopes that pathogens often use to evade immune responses. Proteins on sporozoites are candidates for vaccines that prevent infection. We are interested in determining the structure of the sheath that surrounds sporozoites, its main component the circumsporozoite protein, and the motility protein TRAP. Proteins on gametocytes are targets for vaccines that prevent Plasmodium fertilization and infection in mosquitoes, and prevent transmission to other humans. These proteins include a family unique to Apicomplexans with 6-Cys domains, and HAP2, a putative gamete fusogen conserved in many eukaryotic phyla.

Malaria Researchers

Chafen Lu, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor in Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Research Associate, Boston Children's Hospital
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Jiabin Yan, PhD
Research Scientist, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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Juan Feng, PhD
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School
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Recent Publications

2017

Li, J. et al. Conformational equilibria and intrinsic affinities define integrin activation. EMBO J (2017) doi:10.15252/embj.201695803.
Li, J. et al. Conformational equilibria and intrinsic affinities define integrin activation. EMBO J (2017) doi:10.15252/embj.201695803.

2016

Nordenfelt, P., Elliott, H. & Springer, T. A. Coordinated integrin activation by actin-dependent force during T-cell migration. Nat Commun 7, 13119 (2016).
Nordenfelt, P., Elliott, H. & Springer, T. A. Coordinated integrin activation by actin-dependent force during T-cell migration. Nat Commun 7, 13119 (2016).
Su, Y. et al. Relating conformation to function in integrin α5β1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. (2016).
Su, Y. et al. Relating conformation to function in integrin α5β1. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. (2016).

2015

Kim, J., Hudson, N. & Springer, T. Force-induced on-rate switching and modulation by mutations in gain-of-function von Willebrand diseases. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112, 4648–53 (2015).
Kim, J., Hudson, N. & Springer, T. Force-induced on-rate switching and modulation by mutations in gain-of-function von Willebrand diseases. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 112, 4648–53 (2015).

2014

Springer. von Willebrand Factor, Jedi Knight of the Bloodstream. Blood 124, 1412–25 (2014).
Springer. von Willebrand Factor, Jedi Knight of the Bloodstream. Blood 124, 1412–25 (2014).
Dong, Hudson, Lu & Springer. Structural determinants of integrin β-subunit specificity for latent TGF-β. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 21, 1091–6 (2014).
Dong, Hudson, Lu & Springer. Structural determinants of integrin β-subunit specificity for latent TGF-β. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 21, 1091–6 (2014).
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