The study, published in Cell Communication and Signaling, offers the first direct evidence that targeting ALT1, or related pathways, could become a new antifungal strategy.
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Researchers at the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI), IIT Madras, and the ICMR–National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (ICMR-NIRRCH) have unveiled a promising new way to fight Candida albicans, the fungus behind life-threatening systemic candidiasis. Severe cases of this infection kill up to 63 per cent of patients, and drug-resistant strains have made new therapies urgent.
The team, led by Prof. Karthik Raman of IIT Madras and Dr Susan Thomas of ICMR-NIRRCH, used an integrated, data-driven approach that combined large-scale computer modelling with laboratory tests. Instead of relying on slow trial-and-error screening, they digitally recreated the metabolism of both the human host and the fungus to see how the pathogen behaves inside the body.
This model revealed previously hidden metabolic weak spots, highlighting the role of arginine metabolism and identifying the enzyme ALT1 as a crucial “metabolic bottleneck”. When ALT1 was deleted, C. albicans lost much of its ability to infect, a finding confirmed in mouse experiments.
The study, published in Cell Communication and Signaling, offers the first direct evidence that targeting ALT1, or related pathways, could become a new antifungal strategy. The researchers are now working with clinical partners to validate these insights in patient samples and explore industry collaborations to turn them into real treatments.
By marrying advanced computation with experimental biology, the work showcases India’s growing strength in interdisciplinary health research and points toward faster, more precise antifungal drug discovery that could save countless lives worldwide.
Published on September 22, 2025
