To prolong the useful therapeutic lives of antimalarials, the Molecular Module is enhancing the monitoring of existing and novel molecular markers of drug resistance.
The Molecular Module is working towards this goal by:
- Displaying patterns in markers of drug-resistant malaria across space and time for use in guiding antimalarial drug treatment policy and efforts to manage and contain resistance to existing therapies.
- Accelerating the validation of artemisinin resistance markers by facilitating the rapid sharing of genotyping protocols and data on candidate markers along with corresponding clinical and in vitro phenotypes from regions of emerging resistance.
Another important role for the Molecular Module is strengthening the practical value of resistance markers in public health by providing up-to-date summary information on molecular markers at the country and regional levels, and by improving communication among researchers, malaria control programs and policy makers.
What we do
The Molecular Module is gathering diverse datasets of genetic markers of resistance. Visualise raw patient level data in WWARN Explorer and data extracted from peer-reviewed publications in Molecular Surveyor. To facilitate this process, we are currently developing data entry templates and expanding visualisation tools to display information from multiple studies including in vivo and in vitro phenotypes.
Procedures for sample collection, preparation and resistance genotyping are currently being produced and will be accompanied by technical and troubleshooting support from the Molecular Module's laboratory at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A larger number of molecular protocols including different DNA extraction and genotyping methods will be invited from the community and shared on the WWARN website to provide a comprehensive resource for research groups with varying needs and technical capabilities.
A set of molecular tools is indexed on the University of Maryland site, courtesy of Chris Plowe and the Center for Vaccine Development.
Collaborations
WWARN ARM
In November 2009, WWARN held its first Molecular Technical Advisory Group meeting, in Nairobi, Kenya. This meeting identified a clear need for a collective effort to identify artemisinin resistance markers. In response, the WWARN Artemisinin Resistance Marker (ARM) platform was formed in early 2010, with an open call for participation to the research community. WWARN ARM aims to accelerate the identification and validation of artemisinin resistance markers. This will be accomplished by coordinating collaboration among investigators conducting or planning clinical trials of artesunate or ACT efficacy in order to increase the sample size for genome-wide association studies and genomic searches for signatures of selection, and by standardising and supporting the collection of parasite samples and clearance time data for these genomic analyses.
Meetings with investigators conducting both genomic and clinical studies took place at the Third Annual Wellcome Trust Conference: Genomic Epidemiology of Malaria, and a meeting of the WWARN Scientific Advisory Committee in Dakar, both in June 2010. Based on the outcomes of these meetings and continued discussions with investigators, National Malaria Control Programmes (NMCPs) and the World Health Organization (WHO), WWARN is working to establish guidelines and activities for the platform. Learn more about WWARN ARM and how to get involved. 
Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Network
The University of Maryland, on behalf of the WWARN Molecular Module, is supporting recrudescence/reinfection genotyping in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) under a contract from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). In collaboration with Mahidol University and Global Scientific Solutions for Health, the project includes site assessments, provision of SOPs, regional training sessions and an external quality assurance program involving reciprocal testing and proficiency testing panels.
For more information about participating in the molecular proficiency testing program, please contact jeff.smith@wwarn.org
2009 Molecular Module Technical Advisory Group meeting, Nairobi, Kenya
Pictured L to R: (front row) Vladimir Corredor, Mallika Imwong, Jaishree Raman, Meera Venkatesan, Val Tate, Inbarani Naidoo, Issiaka Soulama; (2nd row) Abdoulaye Djimde, Philippe Guerin, Venkatachalam Udhayakumar, Lesley Workman, Chris Plowe, Philip Rosenthal, Sarah Bates; (3rd row) Richard Cooksey, Ambrose Talisuna, Michael Alifrangis, Mariano Zalis, Cally Roper; (top row) Kefas Mugittu, Daouda Ndiaye, Patrice Piola, Carole Mackosso. Not pictured: Christian Happi, Alexis Nzila, Pharath Lim, Ruchi Singh Paliwal, Roberto Montoya, Carmen Contreras, Wilfred Mbacham, Pascal Ringwald, Carol Sibley.
