The growing momentum towards elimination of malaria and the need to control of drug-resistant parasites means that new drugs and vaccines are needed. In this Fellowship I will use the human malaria challenge system that I have developed to test whether new drugs and vaccines for malaria are working sufficiently well to justify their full development. In this system healthy volunteers are deliberately infected with malaria and then cured before they become unwell.
Risk Factors, Mechanisms, And Treatment Of Knowlesi Malaria
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$265,138.00
Summary
The monkey parasite P. knowlesi is an increasing cause of human malaria in SE Asia. My studies on the clinical epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of non-severe and severe malaria in Malaysia have changed policy. I will further define the clinical epidemiology of malaria patients in this area over time, assess risk factors for knowlesi malaria, and evaluate the role of human and parasite factors in disease severity, and treatment for reducing acute kidney injury in knowlesi malaria.
Host Targeted Adjunctive Therapies To Boost Antimalarial Immunity
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,060,189.00
Summary
Malaria caused 200 million cases and 400000 deaths in 2018. One problem in developing new control strategies for malaria is that following a malaria infection, individuals develop disruptive immune responses that block vaccines. Our project investigates the ability of a repurposed drug to prevent the development of disruptive immune responses during malaria in humans. Results of our studies will inform the development of new malaria control tools.
Development Of A Safe Live Genetically Attenuated Blood Stage Malaria Vaccine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$822,191.00
Summary
Malaria presents an enormous global health problem, and also has a significant impact on social and economic development in countries where the disease is endemic. Our project will produce a live genetically-modified vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes the form of malaria mostly deadly to humans. Our development plan will include the first ever clinical trials of a malaria vaccine of this kind and will look at vaccine safety and effectiveness.
Primaquine Radical Cure Of Plasmodium Vivax Malaria: A Risk-benefit Analysis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$122,714.00
Summary
Vivax malaria causes significant morbidity with over 100 million clinical cases each year and can cause a relapsing illness and chronic anaemia. The only available radical cure of P. vivax requires administration of primaquine, which can cause severe haemolysis in some patients. Our research aims to determine the risks and benefits of giving primaquine to cure vivax malaria using data from meta-analyses of published clinical trials and individual patient results from large multicentre trials.
Formulation Of A Pan-species, Multi-stage Vaccine For The Malaria Eradication Agenda
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$777,611.00
Summary
GNT 1093311 entitled 'Formulation of a pan-species, multi-stage vaccine for the malaria eradication agenda' seeks to undertake the preclinical development of a saccharide conjugate vaccine directed towards all major species and stages of malaria. The objectives are: (i) to undertake the synthesis of the vaccine construct; (ii) to compare immunogenicity, formulation and efficacy of various vaccine constructs with a view to down-selecting the optimal combination to take to human clinical trial.
Pathophysiology And Treatment Of Malaria In Our Region
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$951,005.00
Summary
Malaria continues to kill 420,000 people/year. I will lead a team of clinical scientists in identifying how each of the different malaria parasites cause damage to small blood vessels, kidneys and other organs, and will test whether two different drugs can improve these processes and reduce illness. Many of my previous research findings have changed malaria treatment in Australia and across SE Asia, and, where appropriate, I will use new research findings to improve treatments.
A Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetic And Efficacy Study Of Azithromycin Plus Piperaquine As Intermittent Presumptive Treatment In Pregnant Papua New Guinean Women
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$345,684.00
Summary
The purpose of this research is to investigate a new antimalarial combination therapy, azithromycin (AZI) plus piperaquine (PQ), for the prevention of malaria infection in pregnant Papua New Guinean women. It is anticipated that these studies will provide sufficient data to determine if AZI-PQ is a suitable alternative treatment option in PNG, and other countries which have similar malaria epidemiology including the presence of drug resistant parasites.
New Antimalarial Drug Leads Targeting Multiple Species And Life Cycle Stages
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$818,477.00
Summary
Malaria causes ~200 million clinical cases and >430,000 deaths annually. Prevention and treatment relies on drugs, however malaria parasite drug resistance is an enormous problem. To address this issue, and aim towards eliminating malaria, we need to develop new drugs. This project addresses this important health need by investigating the ability of new chemical compounds, developed at CSIRO, to kill human-infecting malaria parasites during different parts of their complicated lifecycles.