Dr. Richard is an independent investigator in the Infectious and Immune Diseases Research Axis of the Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Laval University, and a professor at the department of Microbiology-Infectious Diseases and Immunology of Laval University’s Faculty of Medicine.

His work focuses on malaria, one of the world’s most common infectious diseases, with approximately 300 million cases each year and 500,000 deaths, and thus represents one of the most devastating global public health problems. The lack of an effective vaccine, the emergence of resistance to first-line drugs like chloroquine and antifolates, and recent reports of clinical cases of reduced susceptibility to artemisinine in Cambodia, combined with the small number of suitable new drugs against the malaria parasite, demonstrate the urgent need for the development and implementation of novel intervention strategies in the form of drugs, vector control measures, and an effective vaccine. Indeed, if the trend in malaria prevalence stays on its current upward course, the death rate could double in the next 20 years.

Understanding red blood cell invasion mechanisms by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Invasion of a red blood cell by Plasmodium falciparum merozoites is an essential step in the malaria lifecycle and host response to merozoite antigens are an important component of human malarial immunity. Consequently, the molecular players involved in erythrocyte invasion are key targets for both therapeutic and vaccine-based strategies to block parasite development. Several of these invasion proteins are stored in the apical complex of the merozoite, a structure containing secretory organelles called dense granules, micronemes and rhoptries, and are released at different times during invasion. Because of its essential role, interfering with the generation of the apical complex represents a very attractive target for the design of a new kind of antimalarial. Our studies focus on trying to understand how the parasite directs proteins to the different structures of the apical complex. Understanding this complex process will likely provide a wealth of new targets for the development of strategies to block apical complex generation and to prevent malaria pathogenesis.

 

CHUL
2705, boulevard Laurier
R-0709
Québec, Québec
Canada G1V 4G2
+1 418-525-4444, extension 47975 / 48909+1 418-654-2715
dave.richard@crchudequebe...

Latest news

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Bourgeois A, Lemos JAS, Roucheray S, Sergerie A, Richard D

The Paradigm Shift of Using Natural Molecules Extracted from Northern Canada to Combat Malaria

Journal Article

Infect Dis Rep, 16 (4), 2024.

Abstract | Links:

Séguin JC, Gagnon D, Bélanger S, Richard D, Fernandez X, Boudreau S, Voyer N

Chemical Composition and Antiplasmodial Activity of the Essential Oil of Rhododendron subarcticum Leaves from Nunavik, Québec, Canada

Journal Article

ACS Omega, 8 (19), 2023.

Abstract | Links:

Tremblay T, Bergeron C, Gagnon D, Bérubé C, Voyer N, Richard D, Giguère D

Squaramide Tethered Clindamycin, Chloroquine, and Mortiamide Hybrids: Design, Synthesis, and Antimalarial Activity

Journal Article

ACS Med Chem Lett, 14 (2), 2023.

Abstract | Links:

De Niz M, Gold DA, Kumar S, Mast FD, Richard D, Simões ML

Editorial: Rising stars in parasite and host 2022

Journal Article

Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 12 , 2022.

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Mukherjee A, Crochetière MÈ, Sergerie A, Amiar S, Thompson LA, Ebrahimzadeh Z, Gagnon D, Lauruol F, Bourgeois A, Galaup T, Roucheray S, Hallée S, Padmanabhan PK, Stahelin RV, Dacks JB, Richard D

A Phosphoinositide-Binding Protein Acts in the Trafficking Pathway of Hemoglobin in the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum

Journal Article

mBio, 13 (1), 2022.

Abstract | Links:

Ayotte Y, Bernet E, Bilodeau F, Cimino M, Gagnon D, Lebughe M, Mistretta M, Ogadinma P, Ouali SL, Sow AA, Chatel-Chaix L, Descoteaux A, Manina G, Richard D, Veyrier F, LaPlante SR

Fragment-Based Phenotypic Lead Discovery To Identify New Drug Seeds That Target Infectious Diseases

Journal Article

ACS Chem Biol, 16 (11), 2021.

Abstract | Links:

Berube C, Borgia A, Gagnon D, Mukherjee A, Richard D, Voyer N

Total Synthesis and Antimalarial Activity of Dominicin, a Cyclic Octapeptide from a Marine Sponge

Journal Article

J Nat Prod, 83 (6), 2020.

Abstract | Links:

Mukorako P, Lopez C, Baraboi ED, Roy MC, Plamondon J, Lemoine N, Biertho L, Varin TV, Marette A, Richard D

Alterations of Gut Microbiota After Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch in Wistar Rats

Journal Article

Obes Surg, 29 (9), 2019.

Abstract | Links:

Ebrahimzadeh Z, Mukherjee A, Crochetière MÈ, Sergerie A, Amiar S, Thompson LA, Gagnon D, Gaumond D, Stahelin RV, Dacks JB, Richard D

A pan-apicomplexan phosphoinositide-binding protein acts in malarial microneme exocytosis

Journal Article

EMBO Rep, 20 (6), 2019.

Abstract | Links:

Berube C, Gagnon D, Borgia A, Richard D, Voyer N

Total synthesis and antimalarial activity of mortiamides A-D

Journal Article

Chem Commun (Camb), 55 (52), 2019.

Abstract | Links:

32 entries « ‹ 1 of 4 › »
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Active projects

  • Dissecting mechanisms of cell division by the malaria parasite, from 2024-04-01 to 2029-03-31
  • Exploring the role of phosphoinositides in the trafficking of proteins to the apical complex in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, from 2024-03-01 to 2025-02-28
  • Exploring the role of phosphoinositides in the trafficking of proteins to the apical complex in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum., from 2024-10-01 to 2029-09-30
  • Financement d'achat de matériel scientifique pour le laboratoire sur la malaria , from 2023-08-10 to 2025-12-25
  • Investigating the interplay between Sickle Cell Anemia and Malaria at the epidemiological and molecular levels, from 2022-11-01 to 2026-10-31

Recently finished projects

  • Contribution du CRI pour appui au processus de concours interne, from 2023-04-24 to 2024-04-23
  • Dissecting mechanisms of cell division by the malaria parasite, from 2018-04-01 to 2024-03-31
  • Élucidation des mécanismes contrôlant le trafic des protéines vers le complexe apicale du parasite de la malaria Plasmodium falciparum, from 2021-07-01 to 2024-06-30
  • Exploring the role of phosphoinositides in the trafficking of proteins to the apical complex in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, from 2019-04-01 to 2024-03-31
Data provided by the Université Laval research projects registery