Grant: CIHR New Investigator

Enzymes that modify phosphoinositide lipids are involved in a number of important cellular functions including growth, proliferation, and cytokinesis. The misregulation of these enzymes is critical in the progression of a number of human diseases, including cancer and inflammation. They also play critical roles in viral infection. Enteroviruses are positive-strand RNA viruses that include many human pathogens such as coxsackie viruses, poliovirus and human rhinovirus. It has also been shown that selective inhibition of plasmodium phosphoinositide kinases prevents malarial transmission in animal models, and represents a novel target for the treatment of malaria. Therefore deciphering the mechanism of how these enzymes are controlled has implications for the treatment of numerous human diseases. Dr Burke has developed a cutting edge synergy of biophysical tools to examine these systems, and has revealed novel mechanisms of how they are involved in human disease. This work will expand our studies into identifying the regulation of these systems, and reveal novel therapeutic strategies to treat diseases mediated by these enzymes, with a specific focus on novel anti viral and anti malarial agents.