Indian researchers have made a big breakthrough in tackling Candida albicans, the sneaky fungus behind deadly infections. A team from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI), and IIT Madras has come up with a smart, new way to fight this pathogen. Candida albicans causes systemic candidiasis, a serious global health issue that kills up to 63.6% of patients in severe cases.
This isn’t your average study. The experts used a mix of high-tech computer modeling and real lab tests to spot weak points in the fungus’s metabolism—basically, how it gets energy and grows. By targeting these, they can dial down the fungus’s ability to harm the body.
What makes this approach special? The team built a unique model that blends the fungus’s metabolism (called iRV781) with a human one (Recon3D). This helps simulate what happens when Candida albicans infects a person, revealing hidden vulnerabilities that don’t show up in simple lab dishes. A key discovery: arginine metabolism plays a huge role in making the fungus more dangerous during infections.
Dr. Susan Thomas, the lead researcher from ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health in Mumbai, explained, “Our integrated host-fungal metabolic model shows how the fungus adapts inside the body, spotlighting new targets for treatment.”
Prof. Karthik Raman from IIT Madras added, “This research could lead to better antifungal drugs that dodge resistance issues. It might save more lives, cut deaths from invasive candidiasis, and make treatments cheaper.”
The study appeared in the respected journal Cell Communication and Signaling, highlighting India’s rising role in cutting-edge, team-based science.
For context, Candida albicans is a common yeast that lives harmlessly in places like your mouth, gut, skin, or vagina in healthy people. But when it overgrows and invades the bloodstream or organs, it triggers systemic candidiasis—a life-threatening invasive fungal infection.
In India, around 470,000 cases pop up each year, or about 34 per 100,000 people. Worldwide, invasive candidiasis hits 1.56 million folks annually, causing nearly 1 million deaths. This new work could be a game-changer in the fight against fungal infections.
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