Stabilizing a malaria protein for improved diagnostics

Researchers from The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and the University of Melbourne (Australia) developed stabilized versions of the malaria protein PvRBP2b, a promising biomarker for recent Plasmodium vivax infections. During recombinant protein production, cultures were grown using the INFORS HT Multitron incubator shaker. The redesigned proteins showed improved production yields and greater thermal stability while maintaining their ability to detect antibodies associated with recent malaria infections, supporting the development of more practical diagnostic tools for regions where malaria remains a major public health challenge.