Simon Draper

Oct 23, 2024 | nature.com | Laty G. Thiam |Yicheng Guo |Saurabh Patel |Lawrence Shapiro |Simon Draper

AbstractVaccines to the Plasmodium falciparum reticulocyte binding-like protein homologue 5 (PfRH5) target the blood-stage of the parasite life cycle. PfRH5 has the potential to trigger the production of strain-transcendent antibodies and has proven its efficacy both in pre-clinical and early clinical studies. Vaccine-induced monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to PfRH5 showed promising outcomes against cultured P. falciparum laboratory strains from distinct geographic areas.

Jan 5, 2024 | nature.com | Francisco Martinez |Patrick England |Mimi M. Hou |Virander S Chauhan |Simon Draper |Jenny M. Reimer

AbstractThe receptor-binding domain, region II, of the Plasmodium vivax Duffy binding protein (PvDBPII) binds the Duffy antigen on the reticulocyte surface to mediate invasion. A heterologous vaccine challenge trial recently showed that a delayed dosing regimen with recombinant PvDBPII SalI variant formulated with adjuvant Matrix-MTM reduced the in vivo parasite multiplication rate (PMR) in immunized volunteers challenged with the Thai P. vivax isolate PvW1.

Dec 20, 2023 | nature.com | Brendan Farrell |Nawsad Alam |Melissa Hart |Robert J. Ragotte |Simon Draper |Ellen Knuepfer

AbstractThe symptoms of malaria occur during the blood stage of infection, when parasites invade and replicate within human erythrocytes. The PfPCRCR complex1, containing PfRH5 (refs. 2,3), PfCyRPA, PfRIPR, PfCSS and PfPTRAMP, is essential for erythrocyte invasion by the deadliest human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Invasion can be prevented by antibodies3,4,5,6 or nanobodies1 against each of these conserved proteins, making them the leading blood-stage malaria vaccine candidates.

Oct 26, 2023 | nature.com | Elena Mitsi |Konstantinos Liatsikos |josh Hamilton |Teresa Lambe |Simon Draper |Alessandro Sette | +1 more

AbstractRespiratory mucosal immunity induced by vaccination is vital for protection from coronavirus infection in animal models. In humans, the capacity of peripheral vaccination to generate sustained immunity in the lung mucosa, and how this is influenced by prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, is unknown. Here we show using bronchoalveolar lavage samples that donors with history of both infection and vaccination have more airway mucosal SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and memory B cells than those only vaccinated.

Aug 17, 2023 | thepost.co.nz | Simon Draper

Simon Draper was the executive director of the Asia New Zealand Foundation Te Whītau Tūhono. OPINION: By the time this article is published I would have finished the best job I’ve ever had and be off on some new adventure, I hope. I came to the Asia New Zealand Foundation because when running New Zealand’s United Nations Security Council campaign, I was intrigued that most of New Zealand’s quality UN support came from Asia.