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The strategy proposed for the design of a medicine
against the Chagas
disease, consists in applying the knowledge
of a multifaceted group, and combining the medicine
design techniques, based on the structures, as
well as the crystallization
techniques, and the experiments with samples of
natural products derived from plants, molluscs,
fungi, and other microorganisms (during a later
stage).
The team has at reach an impressive biodiversity
in tropical and temperate areas of Latin America,
thanks to the institutions devoted to the sampling
and cataloguing of natural resources. It is important
to emphasize that the project total strategy is
initially established for a minimum of 7 years.
The research team is developing 3 main activities
which, if it is possible, must be fulfilled simultaneously:
• Generates and monitors samples of diverse
composites with different molecular structures.
Teams of scientists with extensive experience
in the gathering of biological samples, extraction,
monitoring and purification of natural products
will be responsible of generating these composites.
Some small active molecules are also treated with
spectroscopic methods (nuclear magnetic resonance,
ultraviolet and infrared rays, and others).
• Clarifies the enzymes` structures and
composites using the crystallization process mainly,
or alternately, biomolecular modelling. Research
team with experience in the structural studies
or in molecular pharmacology, will clarify and
analyse the structure of various proteins.
Also, this team will generate some composites.
This group will be responsible of determining
the conditions for the development of crystals
in order to accomplish studies in the space.
• Realizes biological studies about the
effectiveness, level of detail, and way of action,
etc. Teams of scientists with experience in
biological testings will evaluate the biological
effectiveness of composites in in vitro models
of the Chagas disease.
Periodical meetings and progress reports will
be carried out to lead and coordinate this effort.
The most important results, which could help the
advance of the work team, will be presented in
international meetings.
More Information:
• The ChagaSpace Project
• The
Crystallization Process
• Participating
Institutions
• General Proposal
• Specific
Proposals
• Implementation Plan
• Last Reports
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