A drug discovery reference to the crippling tropical diseases that affect more than 1 billion people.

Neglected Tropical Diseases is the first book of its kind to offer a guide that follows the World Health Organization?s list of neglected tropical diseases. The authors?all are experts on the topic?address the development of effective treatments for 12 crippling infectious diseases that affect almost 20% of the world?s popluation.

The book includes information on the common approaches and the most important factors that lead to the development of new drugs for treating tropical diseases. Individual chapters review 12 neglected tropical diseases that are grouped by infectious agent, from viruses to bacteria to eukaryotic parasites. For each of these diseases, the book explains the unmet medical need and explores the current and potential drug discovery strategies. The book also includes information on potential drug compounds derived from natural products. This important book:

-Ties together information from different sources for developing novel treatsments forneglected tropical diseases
-Is aligned with WHO?s initiative to eradicate tropical diseases
-Outlines current and potential drugs for treating tropical diseases
-Provides a standard reference for the entire field

Written for medicinal chemists, pharmaceutical chemists, pharmaceutical industry, virologists, parasitologists, and specialists on tropics medicine, Neglected Tropical Diseases offers an essential guide and a systematic reference for the development of successful treatments for 12 crippling infectious diseases.


David Swinney, PhD, is the chief executive officer of the Institute for Rare and Neglected Diseases Drug Discovery (iRND3). Dr. Swinney has devoted the majority of his career to analyzing and implementing drug discovery strategies that will increase the chance of success.

Michael Pollastri holds the chair of chemistry and chemical biology at Northeastern University in Boston. He came to NEU from Pfizer, where he worked for 10 years as a research chemist. His research focus is discovery of new therapeutics for neglected tropical diseases.