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Prof David Baker

Professor of Malaria Parasite Biology

United Kingdom

David Baker has a BSc in Zoology and has a PhD that focused on the Molecular Biology of the intestinal parasite Giardia lamblia from the University of Hull in 1988. He then moved to the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to work on the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. David became a Professor of Malaria Parasite Biology at the School in 2015. He holds current Wellcome Trust Investigator and Innovator Awards.

Affiliations

Department of Infection Biology
Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases

Centres

Malaria Centre
Antimicrobial Resistance Centre

Teaching

Each year David lectures on the Advanced Practical Training in Molecular Biology Masters module (3158). He is the Deputy Chair of the Exam Board and a Tutor for the Distance Learning MSc, Postgraduate Diploma & Certificate in Infectious Diseases, and Tutor for the MSc in Medical Microbiology.

Research

David Baker's research team use molecular and biochemical approaches to deliver an understanding of the role of cyclic nucleotide signalling in controlling the malaria parasite life cycle. He also partners chemists at Salvensis and the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to develop small molecule inhibitors that target cyclic nucleotide signalling with the longer term aim of developing a new antimalarial drug.

Research Area
Drug discovery and development
Drug resistance
Parasites
Protozoa
Biochemistry
Cell biology
Genetics
Microbiology
Molecular biology
Parasitology
Disease and Health Conditions
Malaria

Selected Publications

Ca2+ signals critical for egress and gametogenesis in malaria parasites depend on a multipass membrane protein that interacts with PKG.
Balestra, AC; Koussis, K; Klages, N; Howell, SA; Flynn, HR; Bantscheff, M; Pasquarello, C; Perrin, AJ; Brusini, L; Arboit, P; Sanz, O; Castaño, LP-B; Withers-Martinez, C; Hainard, A; Ghidelli-Disse, S; Snijders, AP; BAKER, DA; BLACKMAN, MJ; Brochet, M;
2021
Science advances
Antimalarial activity of primaquine operates via a two-step biochemical relay.
Camarda, G; Jirawatcharadech, P; Priestley, RS; Saif, A; March, S; Wong, MH L; Leung, S; Miller, AB; BAKER, DA; Alano, P; Paine, MJ I; Bhatia, SN; O'Neill, PM; Ward, SA; Biagini, GA;
2019
Nature Communications
Structures of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase in malaria parasites reveal a unique structural relay mechanism for activation.
El Bakkouri, M; Kouidmi, I; Wernimont, AK; Amani, M; Hutchinson, A; Loppnau, P; Kim, JJ; FLUECK, C; Walker, JR; Seitova, A; Senisterra, G; Kakihara, Y; Kim, C; BLACKMAN, MJ; Calmettes, C; BAKER, DA; Hui, R;
2019
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Rapid and iterative genome editing in the malaria parasite Plasmodium knowlesi provides new tools for P. vivax research.
MOHRING, F; Hart, MN; Rawlinson, TA; Henrici, R; CHARLESTON, JA; DIEZ BENAVENTE, E; PATEL, A; Hall, J; Almond, N; CAMPINO, S; CLARK, TG; SUTHERLAND, CJ; BAKER, DA; Draper, SJ; MOON, RW;
2019
eLife
Cyclic AMP signalling controls key components of malaria parasite host cell invasion machinery.
PATEL, A; Perrin, AJ; Flynn, HR; Bisson, C; Withers-Martinez, C; Treeck, M; FLUECK, C; Nicastro, G; Martin, SR; Ramos, A; Gilberger, TW; Snijders, AP; BLACKMAN, MJ; BAKER, DA;
2019
PLoS biology
Phosphodiesterase beta is the master regulator of cAMP signalling during malaria parasite invasion.
FLUECK, C; Drought, LG; Jones, A; PATEL, A; Perrin, AJ; Walker, EM; NOFAL, SD; Snijders, AP; BLACKMAN, MJ; BAKER, DA;
2019
PLoS Biology
Epistasis studies reveal redundancy among calcium-dependent protein kinases in motility and invasion of malaria parasites.
Fang, H; Gomes, AR; Klages, N; Pino, P; Maco, B; WALKER, EM; Zenonos, ZA; Angrisano, F; Baum, J; Doerig, C; BAKER, DA; Billker, O; Brochet, M;
2018
Nature communications
The Actinomyosin Motor Drives Malaria Parasite Red Blood Cell Invasion but Not Egress.
Perrin, AJ; Collins, CR; Russell, MR G; Collinson, LM; BAKER, DA; BLACKMAN, MJ;
2018
mBio
A potent series targeting the malarial cGMP-dependent protein kinase clears infection and blocks transmission.
BAKER, DA; STEWART, LB; Large, JM; Bowyer, PW; Ansell, KH; Jiménez-Díaz, MB; El Bakkouri, M; Birchall, K; Dechering, KJ; Bouloc, NS; Coombs, PJ; Whalley, D; Harding, DJ; Smiljanic-Hurley, E; Wheldon, MC; WALKER, EM; DESSENS, JT; Lafuente, MJ; Sanz, LM; Gamo, F-J; Ferrer, SB; Hui, R; Bousema, T; Angulo-Barturén, I; Merritt, AT; ... Osborne, SA.
2017
Nature communications
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