MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Science for Health
Childhood Malaria Research Group established
12 May 2010
Human malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum represents a global disease burden of up to 500 million clinical episodes per year. Cerebral malaria and severe malarial anaemia are both major complications causing significant mortality and morbidity particularly among children in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria, the most populous African country (approximately 160 million inhabitants), accounts for an estimated one-quarter of all malaria cases.
The College of Medicine University of Ibadan, University College Hospital (COMUI-UCH), in Ibadan, Nigeria has joined with Tony Holder and Delmiro Fernandez-Reyes from NIMR's Division of Parasitology to establish a joint Childhood Malaria Research Group CMRG with the aim of bridging clinical and basic science research on malaria.
The overall aim of the group is to improve malaria patient care by research and infrastructure building. The CMRG is overseen by an Academic Panel, a group of seven academics drawn from both institutions. The CMRG infrastructure consists of a Malaria Research Laboratory situated at the Department of Paediatrics at COMUI-UCH, closely coupled with the Paediatrics Emergency Ward and the Children's Outpatient Clinics where recruitment of patients takes place. At NIMR the CMRG relies on the Division of Parasitology's expertise and infrastructure for fundamental research on malaria.
University College Hospital, Ibadan
Malaria in Ibadan is widespread in the population of three million people and it is ranked amongst the most common causes of death in children under the age of five years. The CMRG at COMUI-UCH is placed within the major reference centre for severe malaria presentation and provides the framework for our molecular studies on the pathogenesis of Cerebral Malaria and Severe Malaria Anaemia and provides the framework for our molecular studies on the pathogenesis of these complications. Among its several functions the CMRG builds malaria research capability closer to the point of care, which allows more precise sampling of the molecular changes of the severe disease process.
The CMRG Academic Panel
The panel can be contacted at cmrg@nimr.mrc.ac.uk.
- Prof. K. Osinusi, Head of Department of Paediatrics COMUI-UCH.
- Dr. B.J. Brown, Senior Lecturer, Department of Paediatrics COMUI-UCH. (Nigeria point of contact)
- Dr. F.O. Akinbami, Head Emergency Ward, Department of Paediatrics, COMUI-UCH
- Prof. W.A. Shokunbi, Department of Haematology, COMUI-UCH
- Dr A Holder, Head of Division of Parasitology, NIMR
- Dr. D. Fernandez-Reyes, Programme Leader, Division of Parasitology, NIMR (UK point of contact)
- Prof. O. Sodeinde, Visiting Professor, Division of Parasitology, NIMR
For information or submitting research enquiries for collaborative work please email cmrg@nimr.mrc.ac.uk
Members of the academic panel
Meeting at which the CMRG was officially established. From Left to Right: Dr. Holder, Prof. Sodeinde, Dr. Akinbami and Dr. Fernandez-Reyes.
The establishment of the CMRG in Ibadan, opens tremendous opportunities for NIMR basic science expertise (and the MRC as a whole) to bring the bench closer to the clinic and bedside, thereby initiating the iterative process of translational research. In the context of our programme of malaria research, the CMRG provides us with clinical management and clinical research knowledge to sample the severe malaria disease process in great detail.
Delmiro Fernandez-Reyes
This initiative builds on over ten years of collaboration between NIMR and the University of Ibadan, which has already provided insights into the mechanisms of acquired immunity essential to the development of malaria vaccines.
Tony Holder
I first learnt continuous in-vitro cultivation of malaria parasites, and their biosynthetic radiolabelling for protein and DNA synthesis, whilst training to become a paediatrician. Through retaining both laboratory and clinical skills, I have experienced the “added value” of having them in close proximity. The CMRG is a vitally important opportunity for multiplying such areas of “added value” for the mutual benefit of all participants, above all for children suffering from, or at risk of, malaria.
Olugbemiro Sodeinde
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