Combatting malaria drug resistance in Africa and Asia

11 Apr 2017
WWARN Published Date

To mark this year’s World Malaria Day, the WWARN and IDDO team will attend events in the UK to encourage continued discussion on antimalarial resistance in efforts to eliminate the disease.

Leading malaria researchers will mark World Malaria Day in London on 25th April, at an event held at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. This event will highlight the challenge of growing malaria drug resistance in Africa and Asia, as part of the global drive to ‘End Malaria for Good’. Dr Georgina Humphreys, Senior Scientist for Malaria and NTDs, will present alongside Prof Cally Roper, Prof Colin Sutherland and Prof Shunmay Yeung of LSHTM; Charlotte Gryseels of the Institute of Tropical Medicine (ITM), Antwerp; and, Dr Pascal Ringwald of the WHO Global Malaria Programme.

Recent evidence showing reduced susceptibility to front-line artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) in Africa among emerging Plasmodium falciparum strains has highlighted the growing problem of antimalarial drug resistance. This seminar, hosted by LSHTM’s Malaria Centre and Antimicrobial Resistance Centre, will explore these issues from a range of disciplinary perspectives, including molecular biology, clinical medicine, epidemiology, modelling, social sciences, policy-making and global control efforts.

The event, which will feature six talks and a panel discussion, will take place from 5-7 pm in the John Snow Theatre, LSHTM, Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT. Topics will include:

  • The history of Pf resistance from a molecular perspective, and new data from Africa
  • Challenges in assembling heterogeneous data using the WWARN collaborative model
  • Social science and anthropological perspectives
  • Monitoring and response to threats: the WHO perspective
  • Comparing antimalarial and antimicrobial resistance

A reception in the South Courtyard follows the speakers’ programme. For more information, see: https://amr.lshtm.ac.uk/2017/02/20/world-malaria-day/

The event will be livestreamed for those not at the event in person; questions and comments can be submitted during the event by email to lshtmwmd2017@gmail.com or using the Twitter hashtag #LSHTMWMD2017.