Malaria is a disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. It is estimated that between 400 and 500 thousand people die each year from this infection according to WHO. Malaria occurs mainly in tropical and subtropical regions of America, Africa and Asia. Although the first reports of malaria date back 2000 years, this disease is still an important cause of morbidity and mortality, mainly due to the resistance of the parasite and the vectors to medicaments or insecticides.

The Research Unit in Plasmodium is dedicated to the study of the interactions of Plasmodium with its host cells. Plasmodium parasites are transmitted to the human being through the bite of Anopheles mosquitoes, causing malaria. In human beings, the parasites multiply initially in the liver to give rise to merozoites that later invade the red blood cells, causing the clinical picture associated with malaria.

There are two lines of research in the Unit. The study of the hepatic phase of the infection or the pre-erythrocytic phase involves the investigation of the mechanisms observed during the contact of the parasites with the machinery of the host cell by microscopy and molecular biology techniques. In the blood phase, the search for active components from both natural extracts and chemical coupling of molecules with anti-parasitic potential is analyzed.