Special projects between Bavaria and Florida

Institute of Pharmacy and Food Chemistry
Universität Würzburg

College of Medicine
University of Florida

Aspartic protease inhibitors on malaria, HIV- and HTLV-infections

Aspartic proteases play pivotal roles in the life cycles of various microorganisms and viruses. The success of HIV-protease inhibitors as anti-retroviral drugs has already shown that the inhibition of such enzymes is a promising strategy to combat infectious diseases. Also in other viruses such as HTLV, but also in parasites, such as the malaria causing protozoaPlasmodium falciparum, aspartic proteases are involved during the infection course rendering them promising new drug targets.
New inhibitors designed and synthesized in the group of Prof. Schirmeister will be tested against the relevant enzymes in the group of Prof. Dunn. Crystallization and structure elucidation of enzyme inhibitor complexes performed in the Dunn group will provide insights into binding modes and will reveal better understanding of the target enzymes.