Dr Don Van Schalkwyk
PhD
Assistant Professor
Parasite Biology
LSHTM
Keppel Street
London
WC1E 7HT
United Kingdom
Affiliations
Centres
Teaching
Parasitology and Entomology, study unit 3122. Lecture on Malaria: Chemotherapy and Drug Resistance
Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, study unit 3169, Lecture on: Antiprotozoal Drug Targets: Malaria
Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, study unit 3169, Tutorial: Group B (Strategies for malaria Treatment / Prevention)
Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, study unit 3169, Run Practical (Anti-protozoal Drug Assay)
I am the deputy course coordinator for the Antimicrobial Chemotherapy module 3169
Research
I have developed a method for testing the in vitro drug susceptibility of the zoonotic malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi, and am using that assay to characterise the differences in susceptiblity of this species when compared with P. falciparum. My research is funded by the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV).
I am also exploring the biological mechanism behind the reduced susceptibility of this species to inhibitors of the sodium transporter, ATP4.
Other collaborations with MMV include developing methods to culture-adapt Plasmodium malariae and to screen for the ex vivo drug susceptibility of P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae.
I am working with the Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics (FIND) to test a number of registered and pre-registered Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) for their reponsiveness to Plasmodium knowlesi infections.
I am currently working for Professor Colin Sutherland on an MRC-funded grant to understand the mechanism of reduced artemisinin susceptibility in Africa.