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The Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) at the University of Oxford has a global reach and significant breadth in terms of capabilities and capacity.
Francis Ndungu: Decoding natural immunity to malaria
Francis Ndungu studies malaria immunity using controlled human infection models to understand protective mechanisms in highly exposed populations. His research supports vaccine development and optimisation, including RTS,S and R21. By reducing malaria burden, especially among children and pregnant women, these tools also have the potential to accelerate economic development in endemic countries.
James Watson: Data driven definitions of severe malaria
James Watson studies severe malaria in African children, focusing on improving diagnostic accuracy. By analysing clinical data, he aims to distinguish malaria-related severe illness from other infections and estimate true mortality more reliably. His work supports faster diagnosis and treatment, ultimately reducing preventable child deaths in low-resource settings.
Philippe Guérin: Enabling data reuse to combat infectious diseases
IDDO is a data platform that facilitates the integration and analysis of individual patient data from diverse studies, uncovering new insights otherwise inaccessible. Through meticulous curation and merging of data, IDDO unearth crucial evidence, such as the impact of malaria treatment on malnourished children, a group usually excluded from trials. This comprehensive approach not only informs better treatment strategies but also identifies gaps in current knowledge, guiding future research directions and potentially transforming healthcare guidelines worldwide.
Marta Maia: Vector control to fight malaria
Malaria is mostly controlled through the use of bed nets and insecticides, but progress has stalled and we need new vector control interventions. Mosquitoes can be affected by endectocides carried in the blood of hosts. Clinical trials will determine whether ivermectin administered to human or cattle can be used to impact malaria transmission.
Isabella Oyier: Malaria and immunity
Understanding mutations in the malaria parasite gives us an insight how it escapes the immune system, as well as the mechanisms of drug resistance. This molecular work also helps find better candidates for malaria vaccines. In the long term, surveillance of markers of resistance informs national drug policy.
Melissa Kapulu: Malaria transmission and human infection studies
The efficacy of vaccine developed in naïve population (UK or US) often drops dramatically when used in endemic populations, where individuals are exposed to the vaccine disease target. The Human Malaria Infection Model looks at naturally acquired immunity and correlates of protection. Furthermore, scientists in affected areas build capacity and knowledge base, and integration of scientific thought and processes.
Bob Taylor: Primaquine for vivax and falciparum malaria
Primaquine can be used both to treat vivax malaria and to prevent the transmission of falciparum malaria from human to mosquito. A shorter and age-based primaquine regimen would reduce the burden of vivax malaria. It would also allow primaquine to be used more widely to block the transmission of falciparum malaria.
Ric Price: Curing Plasmodium vivax malaria
Vivax malaria used to be considered benign but is now recognised as an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Resistance to chloroquine (given to treat the parasite blood stage) is growing and ACT (artemisinin-based combination therapy) is becoming common treatment for vivax malaria. New drugs and better public health strategies can help elimination targets, anticipated for 2030.
Olivo Miotto: Genomics and global health
Genomics is the study of the complete DNA sequence, for example of a particular parasite, allowing us to analyse its evolution and the impact of human interventions. Alongside clinical date, we use genomics to identify mutations that are markers for drug resistance. Mapping out drug resistance then helps inform elimination programmes.
Frank Smithuis: Fighting malaria in Myanmar
Although malaria is decreasing in Myanmar, resistance to anti-malarials is on the rise in the region and the focus is now to treat people early, particularly in remote communities. MOCRU has set up a network of community health workers, trained and supplied with diagnostics, bednets and treatments, to help improve access to healthcare as well as produce the evidence to encourage policy changes.
Andrea Ruecker: Blocking malaria transmission
In the falciparum malaria parasite cycle, the gametocyte stages are responsible for the transmission from person to mosquito, then to other persons. A better understanding of how gametocytes respond to malaria treatments would help us block transmission and ultimately eliminate malaria.
Rob van der Pluijm: Tracking antimalarial resistance and treatment of malaria using Triple ACTs
Anti-malaria drug resistance is spreading throughout Southeast Asia and we need to find new treatments. Our researchers at MORU use a combination of artemisinin and two partner drugs instead of one. If confirmed safe and tolerable, triple artemisinin combination therapies might be a good option to treat multi-drug resistant malaria, as well as slow down the emergence and spread of anti-malarial resistance.
Bob Snow: Malaria control in Africa
Quality data is vital to design better malaria control programmes. This project helps various African countries gather epidemiological evidence to better control malaria. Professor Bob Snow showed how sub-regional, evidence-based platforms can effectively change malaria treatment policies.
Lorenz von Seidlein: Malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong sub-region
Multidrug resistant P. falciparum malaria is now established in parts of Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, causing high treatment failure rates for artemisinin combination therapies, the main falciparum malaria medicines.
Mehul Dhorda: Finding the best malaria treatments
For malaria, parasite resistance and treatment efficacy is dynamic. Resistance to artemisinin, sometimes induced by poor quality medicines, causes artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) to start failing. A robust system for surveillance of resistance can help ensure people get the right treatment at the right time.
Richard Maude: Epidemiology and malaria elimination
Malaria epidemiology focuses on two main challenges to malaria elimination: antimalarial drug resistance and the movement of people that are spreading the malaria parasite. Travel surveys and cellphone records, combined with population parasite genetics help predict the spread of malaria and of drug resistance. Close coordination with all groups and agencies involved is crucial to malaria surveillance and elimination strategies.
Kesinee Chotivanich: Malaria laboratory at MORU
More effective diagnosis and treatments are needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality affecting malaria patients. Researchers at the Malaria Laboratory at MORU study the pathophysiology of the disease, and test new compound drugs for anti-malarial activity. In the context of growing artemisinin resistance, this research will have a global impact.
Philip Bejon: Malaria in Kenya
Understanding the variation of malaria risk between houses, villages or region, and how malaria is transmitted in and around that variability helps develop better malaria control programmes and use their resources more wisely. Since malaria control tools are becoming less effective with time, progress in vaccine design is essential.
Rose McGready: Malaria in pregnancy
In pregnant women, severe malaria is responsible for high maternal mortality, and uncomplicated malaria results in in high morbidity. Careful documentation of treatments showed that, although not all drugs are available for pregnant women, early treatment can greatly increase the outcome of the pregnancy, and give that child a better chance at a productive life.
Joel Tarning: Getting the dose right
Too high a dose can result in toxicity and side-effects, too low a dose can cause the illness to come back and at worse develop resistance. In the case of malaria, it is particularly important to get the dosage right for more vulnerable patients such as children and pregnant women. Professor Joel Tarning's findings have now been adopted by the World Health Organisation.