Nigerian Scientists Make Historic Malaria Breakthrough — First-Ever Protein Structure Deposited in Global Database by All-Nigerian Team

A team of Nigerian scientists at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has achieved a global first in the fight against malaria. Led by Dr. Olatomide Fadare, the researchers successfully determined and deposited the first-ever crystal structure of a key malaria parasite protein, Plasmodium falciparum transketolase bound to an inhibitor, in the international Protein Data Bank (PDB). This marks the very first PDB structure authored entirely by Nigerian scientists.

The Scientific Breakthrough
The team focused on transketolase, a critical enzyme for the malaria parasite. By engineering and crystallising the protein, they have opened the door for designing new drugs that specifically target this enzyme, potentially overcoming the growing resistance to current artemisinin-based treatments. The team has already identified four to five small molecules that strongly inhibit the parasite’s enzyme without harming the human version.

A Global Nigerian Collaboration
This milestone was achieved through collaboration between Nigerian researchers at home and abroad, including Dr. Olawale Raimi (Scotland), Dr. Abiodun Ogunjimi (Canada), Prof. Olubanke Ogunlana (Nigeria), and Dr. Oluseyi A. Vanderpuye (USA). Dr. Fadare noted, “Instead of being users, we have become depositors. It demonstrates that Nigerians can compete on the global stage.”

Despite the breakthrough, Dr. Fadare highlighted the challenges of brain drain and the lack of local pharmaceutical manufacturing, with Nigeria importing nearly all its active drug ingredients. “With the right support, what we are doing can cause a tectonic shift in the pharmaceutical industry,” he stated. The research has not yet received government funding.