International collaboration to tackle killer disease

Professor Karl Hoffmann, Director of the Barrett Centre for Helminth Control at Aberystwyth University

A major new £9.9 million international research project has launched to accelerate urgently needed treatments for a deadly disease affecting millions worldwide.

Schistosomiasis is caused by parasitic worms found in contaminated freshwater, and remains endemic in parts of Africa, South America and Asia.

People become infected through contact with infested water during everyday activities such as bathing, swimming or fishing. While early symptoms may include fever and muscle pain, untreated or repeated infections can lead to severe complications including liver disease, kidney failure, bladder cancer and infertility.

Scientists at Aberystwyth University will play a key role in the ambitious initiative, which is designed to advance a promising new pre-clinical drug candidate and transform treatment options for those affected.

Funded by Wellcome, the project is led by the Drug Discovery Unit at the University of Dundee and brings together leading expertise from Aberystwyth University and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.

Professor Karl Hoffmann, Director of the Barrett Centre for Helminth Control at Aberystwyth University, said:

“Schistosomiasis continues to place a heavy and often overlooked burden on some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. This project allows us to apply our long-standing expertise in parasite biology to one of the most pressing challenges in global health. By deepening our understanding of how these worms survive, develop and interact with the human body, we can uncover new and more effective ways to target them.

“The insights generated through this collaboration will be critical for advancing the development of new treatments, with the potential to transform outcomes for millions of people affected by this devastating disease.”

Dr Beatriz Baragaña, Principal Investigator and Portfolio Lead at the University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit said:

“While many people in Europe may not know about schistosomiasis, it brings misery to millions of people, often in some of the most disadvantaged parts of the world. At present there is only one drug approved for the prevention and treatment of schistosomiasis, but the possibility of increasing resistance to this means that there is an urgent need to develop alternatives.

“This is undoubtedly a significant challenge but utilising the skill and knowledge we have here at Dundee, working in conjunction with our partners at Aberystwyth and in Texas, provides us with a generational opportunity to help those affected by this cruel disease.”

Sabrina Lamour-Julien, Research Lead for Therapeutics in Wellcome's Infectious Disease team, said: 

“Despite having one of the highest global burdens of any neglected tropical disease, schistosomiasis suffers from chronic under-investment. Schistosomiasis is long-term and debilitating, yet there is only a singular treatment option, with limited effectiveness. In order to eliminate this disease we urgently need drugs that work against the different lifecycle stages of the worms which cause disease in humans. New innovative technologies for drug discovery could help provide hope for those affected.”

Aberystwyth University has built an international reputation as one of only a handful of centres worldwide dedicated to tackling the devastating impact of parasitic flatworms on people, animals and economies.

In 2023, its pioneering work in parasitology was recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize – the highest honour in UK higher education – awarded for outstanding excellence, innovation and benefit to the wider world.

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