Michal Fried, Ph.D.
Assistant Member, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
Affiliate Associate Professor, Department of Global Health, University of Washington
Area of Expertise: malaria
Dr. Fried and her colleagues mission is to develop malaria vaccines through basic research of malaria pathogenesis conducted at Seattle BioMed and MOMS (Mother Offspring Malaria Project) field sites in Tanzania.
Research
- Pregnancy malaria vaccine: Together with Seattle BioMed visiting scientist Dr. Patrick Duffy, Dr. Fried’s lab made the seminal finding that pregnant women are infected by parasites that bind to the placental receptor chondriotin sulfate A (CSA), and antibodies that inhibit parasite adhesion to CSA confer protection. These studies form the basis of the current effort by the consortium to develop a pregnancy malaria vaccine. As part of the consortium activities, the Fried lab evaluates several vaccine candidates for their ability to inhibit parasite adhesion to CSA similarly to naturally acquired antibodies.
- Severe malaria pathogenesis: As part of a consortium led by Dr. Duffy to identify immune responses that protect children from severe malaria, Dr. Fried's research focuses on parasite adhesion properties associated with different malaria syndromes and the relationship between anti-adhesion antibodies and protection from severe disease. This study is carried out at MOMS laboratory in Tanzania. On the molecular level, as part of the effort to identify vaccine candidates, membrane associated proteins expressed by different parasites forms are identified using proteomics tools.
- Biomarker discovery: Pregnancy malaria is an overwhelming public health problem in tropical countries, which has been related to disease and mortality for both the mother and her child. Our goal is to better understand host-pathogen interaction by identifying disease biomarkers, specifically factors associated with the development of severe maternal anemia using proteomics tools.
Themes
- Parasite adhesion
- Pregnancy malaria vaccines
- Malaria biomarkers
Dr. Fried’s research is currently supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Grand Challenges for Global Health.