AFRICA
Malawi
UNC Project-Malawi
UNC Project-Malawi is University of North Carolina’s major overseas research site. With over 200 employees, including US board certified infectious disease physicians, oncologist and OB/Gyn faculty living in country, the site provides a major research hub for UNC in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Tidziwe Center provides a state of the art research facility located on the campus of Kazumu Central Hospital. In addition, the Jokai Center in Area 18 of Lilongwe was used for the recently completed RTS,S Phase 3 vaccine trial. Dr. Juliano has taken over responsibility for post-Phase 3 activities for the trial at the site with Dr. Martinson. Learn more about the collaborators here:
CDC and the University of Malawi
Drs. Meshnick and Waltmann are currently running a study to better understand how antimalarial drugs protect pregnant women against malaria. Typically a pregnant woman is given presumptive treatments with the antimalarial sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) to prevent malaria infections. In much of Africa, malaria parasites have become resistant to SP; yet SP still seems to be protect the fetus. We hypothesized that the beneficial effects of SP were mediated through the microbiome. This work is being done in collaboration with Dr. Julie Gutman of the CDC and Dr. Don Mathanga of the University of Malawi College of Medicine. Learn more about the collaborators here:
Democratic Republic of the Congo
University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa School of Public Health
Dr. Meshnick has worked closely with the University of Kinshasa for many years conducting studies of malaria across the country. His work has included studies of gene flow among parasites, studies of drug resistance, and studies of the transmission reservoir for malaria. He has conducted research on other pathogens in the DRC with University of Kinshasa, including Trypanosoma brucei (the agent of African Sleeping Sickness) and Hepatitis C. Follow the links to learn more about the collaborators here:
Tanzania
Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS)
Dr. Juliano works with the School of Public Health at MUHAS to conduct studies of drug resistance in Africa. Much of the work has focused on studying genes associated with artemisinin resistance. They have also collaborated on studies of vaccine antigen diversity, in particular of Transmission Blocking Vaccine candidate antigens. Learn more about Dr. Ngasala here:
Kenya
Kenyan Medical Research Institute (KEMRI)
Dr. Juliano works with KEMRI to conduct studies of drug resistance in Africa. Much of the work has focused on studying genes associated with artemisinin resistance. Connect with the collaborators here:
Madagascar
Institute Pasteur, Madagascar
Drs. Juliano, Meshnick and Lin have worked with members of the Institute Pasteur-Madagascar in Antananarivo to study with-in host diversity of malaria and malaria drug resistance. Connect with Dr. Randrianarivelojosia here: