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His laboratory has been engaged in gaining an understanding of the molecular mechanisms of parasite development with emphasis on gametocytes and gametes. He has developed the P. berghei model of rodent malaria for this purpose. He has shown that the biology and genetics of the P.berghei are very similar to those of P. falciparum and pioneered the development of genetic engineering technologies in this parasite to facilitate examination of parasite biology in a post genomic setting. For example, He has begun a detailed characterisation of the 10 members of the conserved, Plasmodium-specific P48/45 family that encode surface proteins that appear to be involved in cell-cell interactions at different parts of the life cycle. Characterisation of one, P48/45, has shown it to be a male gamete specific fertility factor and others are also involved in fertilisation and are new vaccine candidate molecules. He has detailed proteomic and transcriptome analyses in progress and is developing tools for the in vivo visualisation of the parasite at all points of the life cycle including in mice.
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