Philippe E. Van Den Steen

The aim of our malaria research program is to investigate the molecular mechanisms leading to complicated malaria and to design potential therapies. A main focus is malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome, a lethal complication which is mainly observed in adult patients with severe malaria and which can be caused by different parasite species. With a newly developed mouse model for MA-ARDS and with in vitro culture models, the role of parasitic factors such as hemozoin production and cytoadhesion are investigated, as well as inflammatory factors including cytokines, chemokines and proteases. Furthermore, molecules which may interfere with these factors are evaluated as potential therapeutic treatments.