UBC Scientists Work to Stop Deadly Fungal Infections

Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the BC Cancer Agency's Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre in Vancouver have contributed genome mapping expertise to an international effort to develop treatments for fungal meningitis.

Two Cryptococcus genomes have been sequenced and work is currently under way to map the genome of Cryptococcus neoformans var. gatti, the pathogen that has recently caused deadly infections on Vancouver Island.

Researchers will work with the UBC Bioinformatics Centre to make comparisons of the genomes and will publish the sequence of the third genome this year.

Generally attacking people with impaired immune systems, fungal meningitis is a serious threat to AIDS patients.

Link: UBC Scientists Coordinate Mapping of Killer Fungus Genome a UBC Media Release

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 11:42 AM on January 21, 2005