Fungal infections can result in serious illnesses, many of them deadly, in immunocompromised people. However, current antifungal medications can be toxic to humans.

A team of researchers from the lab of biochemistry professor Aaron Hoskins and the UW Department of Biomolecular Chemistry set out to improve treatment options. Their findings, published in the American Society for Microbiology’s mSphere, indicate that inhibiting fungal pre-mRNA splicing (an essential step for gene expression) is a promising direction for future antifungal research.

The study, led by Sierra Love MS’21, PhD’25 and Megan McKeon MS’20, PhD’24, shows that PladB, a molecule used to inhibit pre-mRNA splicing in human cells, reduces growth and germination in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. The experiments also show that PladB is more effective when used in combination with other antifungal drugs.