Download Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3 now!
Eunice W Nduati
kilifi [dot] kemri-wellcome [dot] org Research
My initial work involved the search for potential inhibitors of the Plasmodium folate pathway and monitoring of drug resistance development to anti-folate anti-malarial drugs. In the recent past, I have broadened my work to the field of immunology, and I am currently working on host immune responses.
There is good evidence that antibodies protect against malaria. However, in children, these responses are often short-lived and it is still not clear why. Whereas numerous studies have sought to understand the antibody responses in malaria by serological analysis, few studies have analysed the phenotype and function of B cells, the cells responsible for antibody production. My interest is to understand B-cell function in presence of plasmodium infection and whether this function is disrupted, resulting to the short-lived antibody responses observed. In addition, our group is interested in understanding how infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), may affect the generation of memory and long-lived responses not only to HIV and malaria, but also to other common childhood infections and vaccinations. To do this, we are interested in determining the degree of B-cell dysregulation in children infected with HIV.
Collaborations
Publications
Ndungu FM, Cadman ET, Coulcher J, Nduati E, Couper E, Macdonald DW, Ng D, Langhorne J. “Functional memory B cells and long-lived plasma cells are generated after a single Plasmodium chabaudi infection in mice”. PLoS Pathog. 2009 Dec;5(12):e1000690.
Nduati, E., A. Diriye, S. Ommeh, L. Mwai, S. Kiara, V. Masseno, G. Kokwaro and A. Nzila (2008). "Effect of folate derivatives on the activity of antifolate drugs used against malaria and cancer." Parasitol Res 102(6): 1227-34.
Nduati, E. W. and E. M. Kamau (2006). "Multiple synergistic interactions between atovaquone and antifolates against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro: a rational basis for combination therapy." Acta Trop 97(3): 357-63.
Nduati, E., S. Hunt, E. M. Kamau and A. Nzila (2005). "2,4-diaminopteridine-based compounds as precursors for de novo synthesis of antifolates: a novel class of antimalarials." Antimicrob Agents Chemother 49(9): 3652-7.
Nzila, A., E. Ochong, E. Nduati, K. Gilbert, P. Winstanley, S. Ward and K. Marsh (2005). "Why has the dihydrofolate reductase 164 mutation not consistently been found in Africa yet?" Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 99(5): 341-6.
Ommeh, S., E. Nduati, E. Mberu, G. Kokwaro, K. Marsh, A. Rosowsky and A. Nzila (2004). "In vitro activities of 2,4-diaminoquinazoline and 2,4-diaminopteridine derivatives against Plasmodium falciparum." Antimicrob Agents Chemother 48(10): 3711-4.
Nzila, A. M., E. K. Mberu, E. Nduati, A. Ross, W. M. Watkins and C. H. Sibley (2002). "Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum parasites from Kenya is not affected by antifolate drug selection." Int J Parasitol 32(12): 1469-76.
Mutabingwa, T., A. Nzila, E. Mberu, E. Nduati, P. Winstanley, E. Hills and W. Watkins (2001). "Chlorproguanil-dapsone for treatment of drug-resistant falciparum malaria in Tanzania." Lancet 358(9289): 1218-23.
Nzila, A. M., E. Nduati, E. K. Mberu, C. Hopkins Sibley, S. A. Monks, P. A. Winstanley and W. M. Watkins (2000). "Molecular evidence of greater selective pressure for drug resistance exerted by the long-acting antifolate Pyrimethamine/Sulfadoxine compared with the shorter-acting chlorproguanil/dapsone on Kenyan Plasmodium falciparum." J Infect Dis 181(6): 2023-8.