A poorly studied malaria protein could serve as a key drug target to help combat the growing problem of resistance. Transcript A poorly studied malaria protein – Plasmodium falciparum histone deacetylase 1 – could serve as a key drug target to help combat the growing problem of resistance. The protein helps regulate the ‘intraerythrocytic’ stage of…

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 sha…

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 …

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 p…

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 …

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 …

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 c…

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 …

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, wher…

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…

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 la…

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 Shap…

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’…

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 …

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 efficac…

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 geno…

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…

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…

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 devel…

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.

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 para…

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 Hopk…

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 …

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…

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 …

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 mal…

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 con…

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.…

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, spr…

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 l…

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 fall…

The malaria parasite has a lot of genes: over 5,000. But how does it know when to express certain genes versus others? And what purpose do these different genes serve in malaria virulence and transmission? We dive deep into the nucleus of the cell with Catherine Merrick of the University of Cambridge to find out. She reveals the role of epigenetics…

A newly-discovered epigenetic marker may reveal how the parasite survives in the human host Transcript The malaria parasite is resilient, with thousands of genes that can be differentially expressed to evade the immune system. The expression of those genes is determined by environmental factors and controlled through ‘epigenetic markers’. They turn…

In 2010, the NIH launched the ICEMRs, a global network of research centers focused on eliminating malaria. They track malaria over time - across the globe - to help inform government policy with the mission to move the needle toward a malaria-free world. Malaria is a spectacularly complex disease, and this mission is challenging. Here, we zoom in o…

A special supplement in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene marks the global impact of the International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research. Transcript Open the most recent edition of the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and you’ll find a Special Supplement. A series of papers to highlight the global impa…

Bed nets and insecticides are often used to combat malaria. But how do we know that those tools work? Trials can indicate the effectiveness of these tools in a specific time and place - but what about in the real world? With Jane Frances Namuganga, Project Coordinator, Infectious Diseases Research Collaboration (IDRC), Uganda.…

The use of bed nets and spraying indoor insecticides are key vector control measures in the fight against malaria - but they won't last forever. Transcript The use of bed nets and spraying indoor insecticides are key vector control measures in the fight against malaria. Many malaria-endemic countries, like Uganda, have government schemes to recurri…

When you give a vaccine, you generate a team of antibodies. Some will be effective, others not so much. Suppose you took the very best player and transformed your immune system into a team of all-stars? Would you increase your chances of winning the game? With Robert Seder, Principal Investigator at NIAID, NIH.…

Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new tool in the fight against malaria, hoped to offer prolonged protection against disease. We take a look at the results of a new clinical trial investigating L9LS, a next-generation antibody for malaria. Transcript Monoclonal antibodies are a relatively new tool in the fight against malaria. Scientists recen…

James Watson is a statistician working to improve the diagnosis and treatment of severe malaria. He's found that many children in African settings are probably getting misdiagnosed.

As many as one-third of children may be getting misdiagnosed with severe malaria when in fact their symptoms are being caused by something else. Transcript With coma and severe anaemia, the symptoms of severe malaria can be punishing. But how do you ensure that those symptoms are because of malaria, and not something else? As many as one-third of c…

Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena and Joel Vega-Rodriguez unlock part of the mystery of how the malaria parasite moves in the mosquito. We explore the long history of this story - and it involves glow-in-the-dark mosquitoes.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins and NIH genetically engineered malaria-carrying mosquitoes to block malaria infection in the human skin. Transcript Without mosquitoes, malaria can't be transmitted. To establish infection, the malaria parasite must move in the human skin to find a blood vessel. It’s able to move by activating a human protein called pla…

The malaria parasite up close, brought to life by cell biology and physics. Freddy Frischknecht and Ulrich Schwarz describe the vortices-like movement of sporozoites and the benefits of interdisciplinary research.

Researchers look under the microscope to better understand how sporozoites move in the skin. Transcript The malaria parasite changes shape throughout its lifecycle, and it’s the sporozoite - a slender, crescent-like form of the parasite - which is injected into the human by mosquitoes. Accumulating in the mosquito in the salivary glands, sporozoite…

Matt Ippolito is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, using evidence on the ground to answer important research questions. He reveals how science is an evolving process with different stakeholders - and one where not everything is as it might first appear.

Patients with low platelet count might benefit most from whole blood transfusion for severe malaria anaemia; should be prioritised in clinical management of the disease. Transcript The clinical presentations of malaria can be severe, particularly severe malaria anaemia: a condition of the blood which reduces the amount of hemoglobin in the body or …

Janet Hemingway is the President of the Royal Society of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, bringing together stakeholders to overcome insecticide resistance. She doesn’t shy away from big logistical challenges and wants the world to know that insecticide resistance is a threat.

PBO nets prove 25% more effective than pyrethroid-only nets in national trials in Uganda. Transcript Mosquito nets imbued with insecticide are key to controlling malaria. So much so, that the mass distribution of bed nets with pyrethroids has led to a dramatic fall in malaria transmission. But this widespread use has also led to widespread resistan…

Abdoulaye Diabate is leading the research on genetic technologies for malaria control in Burkina Faso, the only country in Africa to be working with genetically modified mosquitoes. He hopes to bring gene drive, an innovative genetic tool which could help reduce malaria transmission, to Africa in the future.…