Researchers at the University of Copenhagen have become the first in the world to synthesize合成，综合 the entire protein that is responsible for life-threatening malaria疟疾，瘴气 in pregnant women and their unborn children. The protein known as VAR2CSA enables malaria¹ parasites³寄生虫 to accumulate in the placenta胎盘 and can therefore potentially be used as the main component⁴ in a vaccine⁵ to trigger antibodies抗体 that protect pregnant women against malaria. The research team is now planning to test the efficacy of the protein-based vaccine on humans. The hope is that within 10 years all African girls could be vaccinated⁶ against maternal⁷ malaria, thereby⁸ preventing more than 200,000 deaths a year. Each year, 25 million pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa run the risk of contracting malaria. Women who have become infected with malaria parasites during their first pregnancy⁹ are at considerable risk of severe anaemia贫血，脸色苍白 and significant impairment损伤，损害 of foetal胎儿的 growth. The malaria parasites accumulate in the placenta, resulting in children being born prematurely¹⁰过早地 and underweight. These women are also at greater risk of dying during pregnancy and childbirth. Maternal malaria is the cause of death of between 100,000 and 200,000 newborn babies and 10,000 women each year.

"The malaria research group discovered the protein VAR2CSA, which is responsible for malaria parasite² binding¹¹ in the placenta, in 2003," says Associate Professor Ali Salanti from the centre. "The aim is to produce a vaccine based on VAR2CSA which elicits¹³抽出，引起 antibodies that stop the parasite from binding to the placenta. The challenge for us has been to produce the entire protein in the laboratory, as it is very large and so technically¹⁴ complex. Now that we've managed to do this, we're a big step closer to developing a human vaccine, as we can already test it as a vaccine in animals."

"In collaboration¹⁵ with合作，勾结 scientists at The Tanzanian National Institute for Medical Research, we've tested the antibodies that were produced in the laboratory on a number of malaria parasites from pregnant women in Tanzania," says Professor Thor Theander from the centre. "These antibodies seem to be effective at preventing the parasite from accumulating in the placental tissue. The next step is to investigate whether we can elicit¹² the same antibodies and so protect against the disease by vaccinating¹⁶ humans. Then the vaccine will be a reality."