Last Updated: 19/07/2024
Developing Excellence in Leadership and Genetic Training for Malaria Elimination in Sub-Saharan Africa (DELGEME)
Objectives
Very little of the thousands of terabytes of sequence data has been translated into knowledge relevant for malaria control. This is mainly due to the fact that there is a “strong wall” between the malaria control community and the geneticists, indeed the two groups hardly understand each other’s languages. Therefore, with this project, it is proposed to “tear down this wall”. Indeed the translation of these genetic sequences into knowledge requires cutting edge skills that are currently lacking in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, genetics is increasingly required for decision making in major public health threats such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and other tropical diseases.
The main aims of this training programme will be to:
- Train, retain and develop graduates, doctoral and Postdoctoral fellows on genomics and bioinformatics across malaria-endemic countries
- Develop programs to enhance the understanding and dissemination of genetic data relevant to malaria interventions and eradication programmes.
University of Sciences Techniques and Technologies of Bamako (USTTB), Mali
Swiss Centre for Scientific Research (CSRS), Côte d'Ivoire
National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Tanzania, Tanzania
Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Tanzania
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science (MUHAS), Tanzania
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Ghana
Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania
The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NM-AIST), Tanzania
Inter-State School of Veterinary Sciences and Medicine (EISMV), Senegal
Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), Tanzania
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute (KCRI), Tanzania
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Kenya
University of Glasgow (GU), United Kingdom
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Switzerland
The high level of diversity of malaria parasites in the African continent contravenes elimination strategies and sustains the high burden of the disease in Africa. Knowledge of the genome wide diversity of the parasite, gene flow and adaptive processes are required to develop and refine elimination strategies. Indeed, the confirmation of Plasmodium falciparum artemisinin resistance in South-East Asia calls for pre-emptive surveillance of African parasite populations for genetic markers of emerging drug resistance. Because of unprecedented technological advances, there is a sharp increase in the production of genetic data from a range of pathogens including malaria parasites.
High prevalence and extended deletions in Plasmodium falciparum hrp2/3 genomic loci in EthiopiaIncrease of Plasmodium falciparum parasites carrying lumefantrine-tolerance molecular markers and lack of South East Asian pfk13 artemisinin-resistance mutations in samples collected from 2013 to 2016 in Côte d’Ivoire
Drug Resistance
Financing & Economics
Parasite Genetic Diversity
Feb 2016 — Jan 2021
$7.87M
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