Malaria

Research on malaria in The Gambia has a distinguished history, well known particularly for the unparalleled work of the late Sir Ian McGregor and currently very active Professor Brian Greenwood. Along with many eminent colleagues working alongside them, they established much of the current understanding of clinical epidemiology, immunology and genetics of malaria, as well as evaluation of preventative interventions. A new generation of researchers at the Unit is part of a growing malaria research community in Africa, and has formed a research programme supported from 2006-11 by the MRC (UK) and several other agencies, with the following aims:

To make a leading contribution to the international understanding of:

  • Molecular parasitology, immunology, and pathogenesis of severe malaria
  • Targets and mechanisms of naturally acquired immunity and immune regulation

To design and perform with excellence:

  • Efficacy trials of novel preventative and therapeutic interventions
  • Effectiveness trials and methods for delivery of effective interventions
  • Novel methods that strengthen the parasitological, entomological and immunological analyses of intervention trials

The malaria research programme is supported by MRC core funding which has been awarded for 8 projects MRC Core Funded Projects, and external funding which has been awarded for 12 projects Externally Funded Projects. Training at all levels is central to our work, and includes an active group of PhD students.

International Scientific Staff

  • David Conway (Head of Programme)
  • Sam Dunyo (Clinical Trials, Head of Farafenni Field Site)
  • Kalifa Bojang (Clinical Trials, Head of Basse Field Site)
  • Michael Walther (Cellular Parasitology and Immunology)
  • Natalia Gomez-Escobar (Molecular Parasitology)
  • Climent Casals-Pascual (Molecular Haematology)

Senior Scientific Officers

  • Davis Nwakanma (Molecular diagnostics and genetics)
  • Alfred Ngwa (Molecular parasitology)

Programme Administrator

  • Mamkumba Sanneh

Selected recent publications

  • Polley SD, et al. (2007) Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 3 is a target of allele-specific immunity and alleles are maintained by natural selection. Journal of Infectious Diseases 195:279-87
  • Conway DJ (2007) Molecular epidemiology of malaria. Clinical Microbiology Reviews 20:188-204
  • Dunyo S, et al. (2006) Randomised Trial of Chloroquine/Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine in Gambian Children with Malaria: Impact against Multidrug-Resistant P. falciparum. PLOS Clinical Trials e14.
  • Walther M (2006) Advances in vaccine development against the pre-erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Expert Review of Vaccines 5:81-93
  • Imoukhuede EB, et al. (2006) Safety and immunogenicity of the malaria candidate vaccines FP9 CS and MVA CS in adult Gambian men. Vaccine 24:6526-33.
  • Bojang KA (2006) RTS,S/ASO2A for malaria. Expert Review of Vaccines 5:611-5