Awarded the 9th Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Development Cooperation, researcher Peter Myler emphasizes in this interview the difficulty of obtaining funding to study little-known diseases, despite their enormous impact on millions of people in low-income countries. Drawing on his background in biomedicine and parasitology, Myler explains how his work in the molecular characterization of pathogens has led to advances in the design of new drugs and diagnostics for neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. His reflections highlight the importance of investing in science applied to global health, promoting collaborative research, and placing vulnerable populations at the heart of scientific and political priorities.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Development Cooperation category goes, in this ninth edition, to researchers Pedro L. Alons
Awarded the 9th Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Development Cooperation, researcher Peter Myler emphasizes in this interview the difficulty of obtaining funding to study little-known diseases, despite their enormous impact on millions of people in low-income countries. Drawing on his background in biomedicine and parasitology, Myler explains how his work in the molecular characterization of pathogens has led to advances in the design of new drugs and diagnostics for neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis and Chagas disease. His reflections highlight the importance of investing in science applied to global health, promoting collaborative research, and placing vulnerable populations at the heart of scientific and political priorities.
The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Development Cooperation category goes, in this ninth edition, to researchers Pedro L. Alonso and Peter J. Myler, for major contributions in the detection and prevention of complex infectious diseases like malaria and Chagas, which are behind effective approaches to reduce the burden they impose on developing countries.
00:00 Introduction
00:05 What are the main contributions that have been achieved in the fight against infectious diseases thanks to the basic research you have carried out using tools from genetics and biocomputation?
01:12 What are the main obstacles you have encountered in your work to combat infectious parasites, and how do you believe these can be overcome in the future to improve our ability to fight them?
02:18 You are sharing this award with Pedro Alonso, an epidemiologist and clinical researcher. What is the relationship between the type of basic genetic research you conduct and the field of clinical applications to address public health problems?
