Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute
Impactful malaria science, and the trailblazers leading the fight. A podcast from the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute.
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EXTENDED: What Sickle Cell Disease Reveals About Malaria and Human Evolution
04/23/2024
EXTENDED: What Sickle Cell Disease Reveals About Malaria and Human Evolution
How sickle cell disease can be a blessing and a curse. And why we need equity in genomic research and to diversify the genomes we sequence. With Ambroise Wonkam (Johns Hopkins University). About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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The Malaria Legacy of Sickle Cell Disease
04/09/2024
The Malaria Legacy of Sickle Cell Disease
Malaria is one of humanity’s oldest diseases – and one with which we have evolved. Transcript Malaria is one of humanity’s oldest diseases – and one with which we have evolved. Over time, it’s put selective pressure on our genome to respond better to its infection. Sickle cell disease is one example. It causes a defect in hemoglobin – transforming red blood cells into a banana or sickle shape – reducing the amount of oxygen transported to the body’s cells. The mutation has been around for more than 20,000 years – and is thought to originate near present-day Cameroon. But in one of the many evolutionary twists, under the right conditions, sickle cell disease can protect humans from malaria, because it makes it harder for malaria parasites to infect red blood cells. Possessing one copy is an asset, providing resistance to severe malaria, but if two copies of the mutation appear, it is a liability, leading to premature death. The evolutionary relationship between malaria endemicity and sickle cell disease is evident geographically. This complex, genetic legacy is the focus of an upcoming talk by Ambroise Wonkam at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute’s World Malaria Day symposium on April 25th. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: From Lab to Legislature – Meet the Scientists Taking on Capitol Hill in the Fight Against Malaria
03/26/2024
EXTENDED: From Lab to Legislature – Meet the Scientists Taking on Capitol Hill in the Fight Against Malaria
On the steps of Capitol Hill, we meet the scientists bringing their scientific battle against malaria into the world of political advocacy. They join a 100+ group of advocates lobbying their members of Congress to fund critical interventions against malaria – becoming ‘malaria champions’ as well. We ask: Why have they decided to join the world of political advocacy? How are they using their expertise to strengthen the champion’s efforts? What scientific message do they have to share? With David Sullivan (Johns Hopkins University), Tracey Lamb and Jenna Reed (University of Utah) and Louisa Messenger (University of Las Nevas Nevada) About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Advocacy on Capitol Hill: Uniting Scientific Research and Policy in the Fight Against Malaria
03/11/2024
Advocacy on Capitol Hill: Uniting Scientific Research and Policy in the Fight Against Malaria
Malaria champions from 43 states gather in Washington D.C. to lobby their members of Congress about malaria. Transcript The malaria community is diverse. Some work on the parasites, others the mosquito. Others still focus on public health. The battle is being waged on the bench and the field. But there's another community fighting the disease on a different frontline: in the corridors and offices of Capitol Hill. This week, ‘malaria champions’ from 43 states gather in Washington DC for the annual ‘United to Beat Malaria’ conference. And this year, there’s a focus on how critical scientific research is to the fight. JHMRI’s David Sullivan reiterated that sound policy must be based on sound science. By communicating the science, scientists can help explain the significance of malaria and define policy problems – and solutions – more clearly. Because, despite reductions in cases and deaths, significant, interconnected challenges remain, including drug and insecticide resistance, the need to strengthen health systems, and the looming threat of climate change. With the United States government being the largest government donor to malaria efforts, the champions hope that by persuading their representatives to continue the fight, they can be part of the solution. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Odisha's Innovative Approach to Controlling Malaria in Hard-to-Reach Villages (with Praveen Sahu and Jane Carlton)
02/27/2024
EXTENDED: Odisha's Innovative Approach to Controlling Malaria in Hard-to-Reach Villages (with Praveen Sahu and Jane Carlton)
Until recently, health workers were the only means to prevent and treat malaria in Odisha, India. In 2017, the state government tried a new strategy: pooling health resources into regional ‘malaria camps’. In this podcast, we ask: What is the current state of malaria in Odisha, India? What challenges does Odisha face in malaria control, especially in hard-to-reach areas? What inspired the Odisha government to introduce the concept of malaria camps? What makes this approach encouraging and potentially translatable to regions with higher malaria endemicity, such as Africa? With Praveen Sahu, Senior Researcher in Molecular Biology and Infectious Diseases, and Jane Carlton, Director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. and Jane Carlton. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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‘Malaria Camps’ to Control Malaria in Remote Parts of India
02/13/2024
‘Malaria Camps’ to Control Malaria in Remote Parts of India
Malaria in India has fallen in recent decades — but the risk is still high among hard-to-reach communities. A new study has evaluated the system of ‘malaria camps’ — in which health workers provide targeted interventions before the monsoon. Transcript Malaria in India has diminished in past decades — yet the risk is still high among hard-to-reach communities in forested areas that are isolated particularly during the monsoon season. To control the disease in these areas, the government has started a system of ‘malaria camps’, where health workers come to the villages to deliver key interventions, like mass screening and treatment, combined with education, intensified vector control, and maternal and child health visits. A new study has examined the effectiveness of these camps. In 15 villages in the state of Odisha nearly twenty-five hundred people were split into three arms, all receiving the malaria camps at different points. Tests were conducted at baseline and three follow-ups. The first group of villages received the malaria camps for the first time at the baseline visit and subsequently for the duration of the study. The second received the malaria camps for the first time after one year of routine malaria control strategies. The third group of villages was considered a control that had already received malaria camps before the study commenced. There was a statistically significant reduction in malaria parasite infection in study participants overall and for Arm A – the experimental group that received the intervention the longest. The researchers argue that this lower incidence – and the financial feasibility of the program – make malaria camps a promising tool for malaria control in remote areas of Odisha State – in pursuit of India’s goal of malaria elimination by 2030. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Behind the Scenes with a Documentary Crew Following the Malaria Vaccine from Trial to Approval (with Catherine Gale and Bill Moss)
01/30/2024
EXTENDED: Behind the Scenes with a Documentary Crew Following the Malaria Vaccine from Trial to Approval (with Catherine Gale and Bill Moss)
A new documentary tells a story of global scientific collaboration in the development of a new malaria vaccine, R21. Today, we take you behind the scenes with director and producer, Catherine Gale. In this podcast, we ask: Why are malaria vaccines gaining so much attention now? What was the serendipidous origin of the documentary? What are the key moments of the documentary? What is the role of collaboration in scientific discovery? With Catherine, Producer and Director at Wingspan Productions, and Bill Moss, a Deputy Director at the Johns Hopkins Malaria About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Documentary Reveals Story of Malaria Vaccine's Creation
01/17/2024
Documentary Reveals Story of Malaria Vaccine's Creation
A new documentary from NOVA shines a light on the creation of R21, a new malaria vaccine. Transcript This month, a new documentary from NOVA shines a light on the creation of a new malaria vaccine. ‘The Battle to Beat Malaria’ tells the story of the development of R21 – from creation to WHO approval. Taking you behind the scenes in Oxford, UK, where the jab was developed as a PhD project, to the Serum Institute of India where millions of doses are prepared and stored. The documentary reveals the challenge of increasing the amount of protein that the vaccine creates, thereby the number of protective antibodies that the body creates. Of 142 vaccines developed, only a handful made it to clinical trials. And only two of those were approved for widespread use, R21 included. Through trial and error, the Oxford group eventually reached between 70 and 80% efficacy. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Rising Temperatures and Extreme Weather Events - The Impact of Climate Change on Malaria (With Martin Edlund and Courtney Murdock)
12/18/2023
EXTENDED: Rising Temperatures and Extreme Weather Events - The Impact of Climate Change on Malaria (With Martin Edlund and Courtney Murdock)
As COP28 emphasises the human cost of climate change, what will be the impact of rising temperatures and extreme weather events on malaria transmission? In this podcast, we ask: How was health represented this year at COP? What is the impact of rising temperatures on malaria? How will extreme weather events, like flooding, affect malaria prevalence? Why is health resilience so important in mitigating climate-related disruption? With Martin Edlund, CEO of Malaria No More and Courtney Murdock, Associate Professor at Cornell University About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Climate Change Threatens Malaria Progress – WHO Report
12/06/2023
Climate Change Threatens Malaria Progress – WHO Report
The WHO launches its annual World Malaria Report at COP28, the UN's Climate Change Conference. Transcript The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its World Malaria Report for 2023 at the start of COP28, the UN’s Climate Change Conference. The headline figures are concerning. The WHO estimates that there were 249 million cases of malaria last year, resulting in 608000 deaths. These figures surpass pre-pandemic levels, with five countries bearing the brunt of this increase. This year, the report stressed the importance of climate change to malaria. Released at the start of COP, during its first-ever Health Day, it argues that extreme weather events, the frequency of which increase with global warming, could lead to unexpected outbreaks of malaria. In Pakistan, for example, there were an additional two million malaria cases as a result of flooding. Yet, looking beyond the raw numbers reveals a more nuanced reality. Malaria incidence – that’s the number of cases for every thousand people at risk – has fallen since the year 2000. But, despite averting over 2 billion cases globally, progress has stalled. Since 2015, malaria incidence has remained largely constant. We’re currently 55% off track of the WHO’s targets. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: The ‘Chemical Vaccine’ for Long-Lasting Malaria Prevention (with Theresa Shapiro)
11/27/2023
EXTENDED: The ‘Chemical Vaccine’ for Long-Lasting Malaria Prevention (with Theresa Shapiro)
An old malaria drug gets a new formulation. But how good is it – and will it drive resistance? In this podcast, we ask: What are the limitations of current malaria vaccines? What is the concept of long-acting injectable (LAI) drugs? What are the clinical and chemical properties of atovaquone that make it suitable for this purpose? With Theresa Shapiro, Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Division Director, Division of Clinical Pharmacology. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Turning Drugs Into Vaccines to Offer Longer-Term Protection Against Malaria
11/14/2023
Turning Drugs Into Vaccines to Offer Longer-Term Protection Against Malaria
How ‘chemical vaccines’ could offer long-term protection against malaria in endemic areas, and combat the problems of dosing and drug resistance. Transcript Drugs used to prevent and treat malaria are vital tools in the malaria toolkit – but they aren’t perfect. When used to prevent malaria, people must remember to take them regularly, or they won’t be as effective. And when they’re used to treat the disease, the sheer scale of infection – with billions of parasites in the body – makes it likely that some of those parasites will be drug-resistant, leading to treatment failure. But, when you formulate the drugs differently, as nano-particles in a water-based solution, and inject them, like a vaccine, those same drugs can offer effective, long-lasting protection against the disease. This so-called ‘chemical vaccine’, based on the antimalarial drug atovaquone, has been shown in mice to effectively stop the infection and subsequently, the onward transmission of the parasites to mosquitoes. The long-term hope is that a single dose of the ‘chemical vaccine’ could offer long-term protection against malaria in endemic areas, and help combat the problems of dosing and drug resistance. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: How Blood Spots are Mapping Artemisinin Resistance (with Didier Ménard)
10/23/2023
EXTENDED: How Blood Spots are Mapping Artemisinin Resistance (with Didier Ménard)
Drug efficacy studies are revealing the spatial distribution of mutations causing artemisinin resistance - and it all starts with a drop of blood. In this podcast, we ask: What is artemisinin resistance? What are some of the key molecular markers underpinning it? How can we overcome it? With Didier Ménard, Director of the Institute of Parasitology and Tropical Diseases at the University of Strasbourg, and a visiting researcher at the Pasteur Institute. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Is Artemisinin Drug Resistance in Africa on the Rise?
10/09/2023
Is Artemisinin Drug Resistance in Africa on the Rise?
Researchers examine the rise of artemisinin drug resistance in Eritrea - and search for its genetic basis. Transcript Artemisinin – a key antimalarial drug – and other drugs derived from it, are fast losing their effectiveness across South East Asia and increasingly in Africa, too. To investigate this, researchers conducted a review of drug efficacy studies in the East African country of Eritrea. They looked for the rates of delayed parasite clearance in the three days following treatment – a key marker of partial drug resistance. They found a troubling pattern: delayed parasite clearance climbed from 0.4% in 2016 to 1.9% in 2017, followed by a marked increase to 4.2% in 2019. By isolating and sequencing parasitic DNA, they found that this trend was associated with the rise of a novel mutation to the Kelch13 region of the parasite, called R622I. Given the lack of alternative drugs, the emergence of resistance in Africa is concerning. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: What Genomics Can Reveal about Malaria’s Recent US Appearance (with Jane Carlton)
09/25/2023
EXTENDED: What Genomics Can Reveal about Malaria’s Recent US Appearance (with Jane Carlton)
In 1951, malaria was eliminated from the US. But just this past summer, the parasite that causes the disease has re-infected local mosquitoes and caused a handful of cases of malaria in three US states. In this interview podcast, we ask: What should we make of these cases? Is the public possibly at risk of this once-eliminated disease? How can genomics help us to better understand what’s happened? With Jane Carlton, Director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute: About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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Malaria Is Making a Comeback to the US. Why?
09/12/2023
Malaria Is Making a Comeback to the US. Why?
Malaria returns to the US for the first time in decades. We share what we know so far. Transcript Today, another reminder that infectious diseases respect no borders. Malaria, a disease that was once endemic globally, has returned to the US for the first time in two decades. A number of cases have been confirmed in Florida, Texas and, most recently, one in Maryland. Crucially, in each of those cases, the people who got the disease hadn’t traveled to any malaria-endemic regions. The transmission was local. It’s thought that other people carrying the parasites from abroad infected mosquitoes in the US – and that those mosquitoes went on to infect other people. The infections have been P. vivax — a less deadly strain often found in South East Asia--and now P. falciparum — the most common and most deadly species — appearing in Maryland. The risk to the general public is low. But it’s unclear whether this is a random event — or a sign of things to come. Some experts hypothesize that possibly climate change and warming temperatures are making more places more suitable for malaria-carrying mosquitos to thrive. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: How Scientific Collaboration Across Three Continents Turned a Problem Into a Solution
08/28/2023
EXTENDED: How Scientific Collaboration Across Three Continents Turned a Problem Into a Solution
In 2013, on the outskirts of Madrid, GSK was gearing up to test new medicines against malaria. But they had a problem. In this month's podcast, we're joined by Janneth Rodrigues from GSK, Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena from Johns Hopkins University, and Etienne Bilgo from IRSS to share a story of collaboration that spans three continents, and which turned a headache into a success story. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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A Naturally Occurring Bacterium Inhibits Malaria Parasites in the Mosquito
08/14/2023
A Naturally Occurring Bacterium Inhibits Malaria Parasites in the Mosquito
A naturally occurring bacterium renders the mosquito a poor transmitter of the malaria parasite. Transcript Scientists often grow mosquitos in the laboratory and infect them with malaria parasites to test new drugs and explore vector control. Unexpectedly, in a lab run by GSK in Spain, mosquitoes gradually lost the ability to sustain parasite development. To unwind this mystery, GSK turned to Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena, a researcher at Johns Hopkins University and sent him a bacterium they suspected was the blocking agent. The Hopkins team determined that these bacteria produce a substance called harmane – a strong poison to the malaria parasite without affecting the mosquito. Harmane kills the parasite in the mosquito either by ingestion or by contact--when the mosquito lands on a surface with harmane on it. Further experiments determined that this Delftia bacterium colonizes the mosquitoes for life where it suppresses survival of the parasite. Experiments conducted by researchers in Burkina Faso showed that this bacterium can efficiently colonize mosquitoes under conditions that simulate those of the field and that it inhibits locally circulating parasites. This bacterium promises to be developed into a new tool to combat malaria. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Will the Malaria Vaccine Mean a World Free From the Disease? (With Pauline Formaglio and William Moss)
06/27/2023
EXTENDED: Will the Malaria Vaccine Mean a World Free From the Disease? (With Pauline Formaglio and William Moss)
After decades of research, the world’s first malaria vaccine is finally being rolled out in Africa. It’s a landmark in malaria success – but will it deliver a public health victory? In this podcast, we reveal the elusive target of the malaria vaccine and unpack the complex story of its development.
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How the Malaria Parasite Searches for Blood Vessels to Invade
06/12/2023
How the Malaria Parasite Searches for Blood Vessels to Invade
To locate blood vessels and establish infection, malaria parasites alternate between two states of movement in the skin – fast and slow. Interestingly, this shift in state might be guided by a cell found on the walls of capillaries. Transcript Of the dozens of malaria parasites the mosquito injects, only a handful will make it. To survive, the parasite needs to forage around for a blood vessel, enter it, and hitch a ride to the liver, where it can set up the infection. 3D imaging and statistical modelling reveals how this foraging plays out in the skin. After moving forward quickly, in a random and chaotic manner, the parasite sidles up to a blood vessel. Then, it changes tact. It moves slowly in a circular motion around the blood vessel, trying to find a way in. Interestingly, this shift in state might be guided by the parasite’s detection of a particular type of cell, called a pericyte. Pericytes are found on the walls of capillaries. Directly, or indirectly, they signal a point of entry, thereby luring the parasite in. Tracking parasites in the skin, therefore, reveals this novel finding: that pericytes play a role in the early stages of malaria infection. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Beyond Biology: The Head, Heart and Social Dimensions of Malaria Control (With Doug Storey and Mike Toso)
05/29/2023
EXTENDED: Beyond Biology: The Head, Heart and Social Dimensions of Malaria Control (With Doug Storey and Mike Toso)
Behavioral science is essential if the tools we develop in the lab are to generate impact in the field. So, in this episode, we take a break from malaria biology to delve deep into human psychology of malaria control. We explore the theory behind behavioral science and its implications for malaria control, and discuss a new tool from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs: the Malaria Behavior Survey. With Doug Storey and Mike Toso of the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs.
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How Can Behavioral Science Improve Bed Net Use?
05/15/2023
How Can Behavioral Science Improve Bed Net Use?
Bed nets are a staple tool in malaria control - but how do we make sure people actually use them? We discuss behavioral science, and the Malaria Behavior Survey from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs. Transcript Bed nets are a staple tool in malaria control. They’re reliable, effective, affordable and reusable. But how do we make sure people actually use them: sleep under one every night and store them properly when not in use? This is where behavioral science comes in – in particular the ‘Malaria Behaviour Survey’ from the Johns Hopkins Center for Communications Programs. It uses survey data to build an online dashboard that spells out the social, emotional and cognitive indicators that predict bed net use across sub-Saharan Africa. Whilst most surveys only measure individual behaviors related to malaria control, the ‘Malaria Behaviour Survey’ examines how what goes on in somebody’s head, heart and social network influences these behaviors. This wider context of individual decision-making helps malaria control programs tailor their messaging to more adequately meet the needs of their communities, and promote proper bed net use. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: Meet the Americans Passionate About Ending Malaria For Good
04/24/2023
EXTENDED: Meet the Americans Passionate About Ending Malaria For Good
Without funding, there can be no malaria fight. No bed nets distributed, no homes sparayed with insecticide and no scientific research to develop new tools. For World Malaria Day 2023, we head to Washington D.C. to meet advocates in the U.S. who are passionate about rallying political support around the fight against malaria and raising the bar for the role young people play in global health advocacy. Featuring Margaret Reilly McDonnell (United to Beat Malaria), Himaja Nagireddy (US Youth Observer to the UN), Joy Phumaphi (Executive Secretary, African Leaders Malaria Alliance), and David Walton (US Global Malaria Coordinator, PMI).
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Malaria Champions Meet in Washington D.C.
04/11/2023
Malaria Champions Meet in Washington D.C.
Malaria champions meet in Washington D.C. for the UN Foundation's 'United to Beat Malaria' Leadership Summit. Transcript In the centre of Washinton DC – just a five-minute walk from the White House – is a campaign at the forefront of malaria advocacy. The UN Foundation’s ‘United to Beat Malaria’ campaign connects Americans with the global movement to end malaria. Every year, it briefs advocates from across the country on the big challenges facing malaria. Drug and insecticide resistance. Limited funding. The need for resilient healthcare systems. Then, those advocates meet with Members of Congress. Last month, 90 advocates held over 140 meetings with congressional offices to make two important asks: Support a $2bn pledge for The Global Fund, an international resource which funds over 60% of malaria control programmes; and commit more than $820 million to The President’s Malaria Initiative, a US-led programme working with over 25 endemic countries. These advocates, known as ‘champions’ are diverse and committed. We meet them next time in the Extended episode of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: The Invasive Mosquito Threatening to Worsen Malaria in Africa (with Eric Ochomo and Seth Irish)
03/28/2023
EXTENDED: The Invasive Mosquito Threatening to Worsen Malaria in Africa (with Eric Ochomo and Seth Irish)
An invasive mosquito species, Anopheles stephensi, is threatening to redefine malaria in Africa. In this episode, we speak to Eric Ochomo from the Kenya Medical Research Institute, and Seth Irish from the World Health Organization, about the rise of the Anopheles stephensi in Africa. We discuss why the mosquito is in Africa, what this means for malaria, and—more importantly—what can be done.
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Anopheles stephensi Found in Marsabit, Kenya
03/06/2023
Anopheles stephensi Found in Marsabit, Kenya
The migration of Anopheles stephensi, an invasive mosquito species, threatens to redefine malaria in Africa. Transcript Malaria in Africa is mainly rural, and peaks during the rainy season. The primary culprit is Africa’s main malaria vector: Anopheles gambiae. But another malaria vector – called Anopheles stephensi – is making its way into the continent from SE Asia. Anopheles stephensi can transmit malaria in both rural and urban settings, and breed in small volumes of water. Because it’s not dependent on rainfall, it can transmit the disease year-round. It can even transmit Plasmodium vivax malaria – a form of the disease that can relapse. In one study in Kenya last year, 16 out of the 55 mosquitoes captured were Anopheles stephensi. Almost a third. So just how much of a threat is Anopheles stephensi – and what can be done? Listen next time on Malaria Minute Extended. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: The Genetics of Drug Resistance (and Design) with Caroline Simmons
02/27/2023
EXTENDED: The Genetics of Drug Resistance (and Design) with Caroline Simmons
The malaria parasite is becoming increasingly resistant to the drugs we use against it. Caroline Simmons, a geneticist at the University of South Florida, is trying to understand what's driving this. By creating mutants of the parasite, and testing drugs against them, she's piecing together the complex puzzle of antimalarial drug resistance.
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KIC5: A New Piece in the Puzzle of Artemisinin Resistance
02/13/2023
KIC5: A New Piece in the Puzzle of Artemisinin Resistance
Drug resistance is on the rise, but genetics can help us understand what's driving it. Here, researchers identify a protein associated with resistance to artemisinin, a key malaria drug. Transcript Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT) are considered the most effective method to treat malaria. Yet drug resistance to them is on the rise, spreading from Southeast Asia to Africa, becoming a real problem. A genetic approach to drug resistance can help us understand the genes responsible for this. Artemisinin resistance has long been associated with mutations to a protein called Kelch13. By screening the parasite genome, researchers have identified another protein associated with resistance to the drug. Called KIC5, this protein helps maintain nuclear homeostasis – balance within the parasite’s cell – as it lives in human red blood cells. When expressed, it helps the parasite overcome artemisinin stress by supporting DNA repair and other mitochondrial activity. But when it’s disrupted, the parasite can’t deal with this stress and becomes sensitized to the drug. Almost like flipping a switch, disrupting KIC5 makes artemisinin work again. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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EXTENDED: African Leadership in the Push for Malaria Eradication
01/30/2023
EXTENDED: African Leadership in the Push for Malaria Eradication
When Clive Shiff completed his entomology training, he was told that malaria was on its way out. But as we know, the disease persisted, continuing to claim lives and livelihoods. In January's Malaria Minute Extended, we speak with Clive Shiff, Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins University, on the rise of the bed net and the importance of African leadership in the push for malaria eradication.
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Humidity from Trees Helps Sustain Malaria in Dry Season
01/16/2023
Humidity from Trees Helps Sustain Malaria in Dry Season
How can we account for malaria cases during the dry season, when mosquitoes are typically dormant? It turns out that trees might be the root of the problem... Transcript Malaria is often thought of as a seasonal disease. Transmission peaks during the rainy season – when standing water creates the ideal conditions for mosquitoes to thrive – and falls in the dry season when mosquitoes become dormant. But in those dryer months, the disease doesn’t go away completely. In some areas, mosquitoes remain active, continuing to bite and transmit malaria to humans. So how can we account for those cases? It turns out trees might be the root of the problem… Humidity created by water evaporating from tree leaves might be creating ideal microclimates for malaria to thrive. To investigate, researchers placed mini-loggers onto trees and granaries near where people sleep in nine study sites across Southern Zambia. Humidity and temperature in these areas was associated with local health centre-reported incidence of malaria. Source About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute podcast is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.
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