Global health R&D at work in Arkansas
Scientists at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) have been awarded federal funding from the National Institutes of Health to supports research on infectious diseases. This funding has enabled UAMS to establish the Center for Microbial Pathogenesis and Host Inflammatory Responses, which focuses on pathogens—bacteria, viruses, and microorganisms—and the disease responses they cause in humans. The center has advanced research on malaria, pneumonic plague, leishmaniasis—a parasitic disease that causes disfiguring skin lesions—and other deadly diseases. By trying to understand how pathogens cause disease in humans, the scientists hope to develop new treatments and technologies. One other new idea being developed at UAMS is a non-invasive malaria detection laser for spotting parasite-infected cells traveling through blood vessels.