NUBIAN

Naphthoquinoidal Compounds for Bioimaging and Innovations Against Neglected Diseases in Brazil and Sierra Leone

Funder: Royal Society ISPF

Duration: 2024-2027

Amount: £ 323,241.44

Chagas disease affects more than eight million people in Latin America, with tens of millions more at risk, while Human African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) remains a major health challenge across sub-Saharan Africa. Both are severe neglected tropical diseases with limited therapeutic options and minimal engagement from the global pharmaceutical sector. The NUBIAN project responds to this need by integrating experimental and theoretical approaches to develop a library of naphthoquinoidal compounds with potential antiprotozoal activity, directly supporting UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being). Building on extensive expertise in quinone-based bioactive molecules, the project will combine click chemistry and sulfur(VI) fluoride exchange (SuFEx) reactions to generate novel 1,4-naphthoquinone hybrids with enhanced trypanocidal potential. The computational component will analyse reaction mechanisms, guide the design of viable SuFEx derivatives through high-throughput screening and explore their predicted fluorescent properties for possible bioimaging applications. These studies will inform synthesis, support mechanistic interpretation and create a curated database of promising targets. A central element of NUBIAN is the establishment of the Sierra Leone–UK Centre for Advanced Studies on Tropical and Infectious Diseases (SLUK-CASTRID), which will develop local expertise in molecular design, medicinal chemistry and disease-focused research. This centre will act as a model for broader capacity building in low- and middle-income countries, strengthening research infrastructure and fostering long-term international collaboration. By advancing new molecular candidates for Chagas disease and sleeping sickness while expanding equitable scientific partnerships, the project aims to deliver both immediate and enduring benefits for global health.