International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMR)

Research to Control and Eliminate Malaria in SE Asia and SW Pacific

Principal Investigator: James Kazura, M.D.
Lead Institution: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

Project Leads:

• Ivo Mueller, Papua New Guinea (PNG) Institute for Medical Research
• Tom Burkot, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Christopher King, Case Western Reserve University

Collaborating Institutions:

• Papua New Guinea Institute for Medical Research, Goroka, PNG
• Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (Ministry of Health), Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Research Areas

The objective of this Center is to advance knowledge of how national and regional programs to control and eliminate malaria in Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands and Vanuatu affect the epidemiology, transmission and pathogenesis/immunity of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax.

The research team will examine malaria infection and morbidity in three distinct settings, representing a wide spectrum of malaria endemicity:

• holoendemic (transmission occurs all year long) in mainland PNG;
• meso/hypoendemic (regular seasonal transmission) in East New Britain PNG; and
• hypoendemic (very intermittent transmission) in Western Province, Solomon Islands.

Regional Impact

The SE Asia and SW Pacific ICEMR will build local capacity and infrastructure to monitor, evaluate and guide ongoing and future malaria interventions used by national health authorities in the region. The Center will establish a resource to aid Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu health officials who are responsible for implementing, monitoring and evaluating interventions to control and eliminate malaria.

View associated sites in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands in a larger map

Map description: associated sites in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands