Sanjay A. Desai, M.D., Ph.D.

Chief, Apicomplexan Molecular Physiology Unit

Dr. Sanjay Desai received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Washington University in St. Louis. Following an internal medicine residency and infectious diseases fellowship at Duke University Medical Center, he joined NIAID's Division of Intramural Research. His work focuses on the molecular and cellular biology of Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite species responsible for the deadliest form of human malaria. Dr. Desai is a frequent lecturer and reviewer.

Description of Research Program

Our research efforts are focused on how malaria parasites acquire nutrients and other essential solutes from the human bloodstream. We identified two unusual ion channels that appear to play a central role in trafficking solutes between serum and parasite compartments. One of these channels, the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC), is exposed on the infected erythrocyte surface and is generally recognized as an important drug target. Major areas of investigation in the laboratory include

• Identification of PSAC’s gene(s) with molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches
• Characterization of PSAC’s unusual functional properties with the goal of understanding both structure and physiological role
• Identification of novel, high-affinity PSAC antagonists that may be starting points for the development of new antimalarial drugs

Two channels in plasmodial nutrient acquisition. Malaria parasites acquire nutrients from serum via a sequential diffusive pathway. Nutrients pass through PSAC on the erythrocyte membrane, the PVM channel on the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane, and finally through specific carriers on the parasite plasma membrane. The traces on the right show current flowing through individual channel molecules as they open and close.

Inquiries about predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships as well as Ph.D. studentships in the NIH Graduate Partnership Program are welcome. Please contact Dr. Desai via e-mail (sdesai@niaid.nih.gov) or fax (301-402-2201).

Research Group Members

Abdulnaser Alkhalil (aalkhalil@niaid.nih.gov), Godfrey Lisk (glisk@niaid.nih.gov), Kempaiah Rayavara (krayavara@niaid.nih.gov), Ajay Pillai (pillaia@niaid.nih.gov), Abdullah Bokhari (bokharia@niaid.nih.gov), Lanxuan Doan (doanla@niaid.nih.gov), Joel Lelievre (lelievrej@niaid.nih.gov), Ryan Murphy (murphyr@niaid.nih.gov), Margaret Pain (painm@niaid.nih.gov)

Selected Recent Publications

(View list in PubMed.)

Lisk G, Scott S, Solomon T, Pillai AD, Desai SA. Solute-inhibitor interactions in the plasmodial surface anion channel reveal complexities in the transport process. Mol Pharmacol. 2007 Feb 7; [Epub ahead of print].

Hill DA, Pillai AD, Nawaz F, Hayton K, Doan L, Lisk G, Desai SA. A blasticidin S-resistant Plasmodium falciparum mutant with a defective plasmodial surface anion channel. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 16;104(3):1063-8.

Lisk G, Desai SA. The plasmodial surface anion channel is functionally conserved in divergent malaria parasites. Eukaryot Cell. 2005 Dec;4(12):2153-9.

Kang M, Lisk G, Hollingworth S, Baylor SM, Desai SA. Malaria parasites are rapidly killed by dantrolene derivatives specific for the plasmodial surface anion channel. Mol Pharmacol. 2005 Jul;68(1):34-40.

Alkhalil A, Cohn JV, Wagner MA, Cabrera JS, Rajapandi T, Desai SA. Plasmodium falciparum likely encodes the principal anion channel on infected human erythrocytes. Blood. 2004 Dec 15;104(13):4279-86.

Desai SA, Bezrukov S, Zimmerberg J. A voltage-dependent channel involved in nutrient uptake by malaria parasite-infected red blood cells. Nature. 2000; 406:1001-1005.

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