We are interested in how malaria parasites acquire nutrients and other essential solutes from their human and vector hosts. Our studies have identified several unusual ion channels that play a central role in pathogen development. One of these channels, the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC), is exposed on the infected erythrocyte surface in bloodstream infections and is a recognized drug target.

Significant accomplishments include the following:

• Discovered the plasmodial surface anion channel (PSAC) with patch-clamp studies of human erythrocytes
• Identified PSAC’s molecular determinants, physiological role, contribution to a novel drug resistance mechanism, and potent inhibitors as advanced antimalarial drug leads
• Discovered and characterized a large-conductance ion channel on the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) surrounding the intracellular parasite
• Implicated distinct parasite genetic elements in increased Ca⁺⁺ permeability of infected erythrocytes

Source: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/sanjay-desai-md-phd