Last Updated: 13/02/2024

P. falciparum Community Project

Objectives

The overall goal of this project is to enable malaria researchers to analyse genome variation in the parasite samples that they collect and to provide the malaria research community with a collaborative framework to investigate common forms of genetic variation in P. falciparum.

Specific objectives:

Build a catalogue of variation and allele frequencies,
Provide researchers with standardised genotype data on their samples,
Publish global analyses of genome variation, population genetics and evolutionary selection,
Create online tools to maximise the reach and impact of Community Project data and findings

Principal Institution

MalariaGEN Resource Centre, Sanger Institute, United Kingdom

Principal Investigators / Focal Persons

Dominic Kwiatkowski †

Rationale and Abstract

Community project goals:

Enable malaria researchers to analyse genome variation in the parasite samples that they collect: Advances in sequencing technology have made it possible to analyse parasite genome variation in samples collected during clinical and epidemiological studies of malaria but relatively few groups have the statistical and computational resources needed to deal with raw sequence data. To address this need, MalariaGEN has established a sequence data analysis pipeline that enables researchers who have collected parasite samples to generate sequence read data and translate this data into standardised genotype calls that are suitable for epidemiological and population genetic studies, e.g. of drug resistance or antigenic variation.
Provide the malaria research community with a collaborative framework to investigate common forms of genetic variation in P. falciparum: Data on the natural diversity of P. falciparum in different geographical regions is crucial for many aspects of malaria biology and disease control. This depends on clinical and epidemiological studies that often require a long‐term investment to achieve their scientific objectives. The Community Project enables different research groups to share and release data on parasite polymorphism without compromising their ability to analyse and publish their own findings. Working together in this way, the Community Project is creating an integrated, global view of parasite diversity that can help underpin malaria research and control efforts.

Project Outputs

Malar J. 2016; Whole genome sequencing of Plasmodium falciparum from dried blood spots using selective whole genome amplification

External reference

Project details

Thematic Categories

Genetics and Genomics
Surveillance

Date

Jan 2010 — Dec 2022

Funding Details

Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom

206194, 090770/Z/09/Z, 098051

Medical Research Council (MRC), United Kingdom