New Delhi | September 17,2025 | SKY LINK TIMES
A research team led by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with the Wadhwani School of Data Science and AI (WSAI) and IIT Madras, has developed a novel multidisciplinary approach to tackle Candida albicans (CAL), the primary cause of systemic candidiasis—a deadly fungal infection responsible for nearly 1 million deaths worldwide annually.
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The Deadly Threat of Candida albicans
Candida albicans is a common yeast that normally lives harmlessly in the human body. However, in immunocompromised individuals, it can trigger systemic candidiasis, an invasive infection that spreads to the bloodstream and organs. With mortality rates as high as 63.6% in severe cases, it represents one of the most lethal fungal infections globally.
India alone records 470,000 new cases annually, underscoring the urgent need for innovative antifungal strategies.
A One-of-a-Kind Host-Fungal Metabolic Model
According to Dr. Susan Thomas from ICMR-NIRRCH, Mumbai, the study introduced an integrated host-fungal metabolic model by combining CAL’s model iRV781 with the human metabolic model Recon3D.
This pioneering method allowed scientists to simulate fungal behavior during actual host infection, uncovering hidden metabolic vulnerabilities that remain invisible in standard lab cultures. Importantly, the research highlighted the crucial role of arginine metabolism in driving CAL pathogenicity.
Towards Stronger Antifungal Therapies
Prof. Karthik Raman of IIT Madras explained that these findings could help diversify antifungal drugs, bypass resistance mechanisms, and ultimately improve survival rates while reducing treatment costs.
The research, published in the prestigious journal Cell Communication and Signaling, signals a major step toward next-generation antifungal treatments.
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ICMR Breakthrough in Global Biomedical Research
The breakthrough also reflects India’s growing strength in interdisciplinary biomedical research, showcasing how advanced computational modeling combined with experimental validation can provide life-saving solutions.
Global Impact of the Findings
With more than 1.56 million global cases of invasive candidiasis reported each year, and nearly 995,000 deaths, this discovery offers hope for millions of patients worldwide. Experts believe this approach could become a blueprint for tackling other fungal pathogens in the future.
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