MRC National Institute for Medical Research, London
Science for Health
Malaria in the field
12 August 2011
Robert Moon, a postdoc in NIMR's Division of Parasitology, was recently awarded a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship. He used the award to travel to Malaysia and undertake studies on the malaria parasite in the lab and in the field.
Rob (pictured) is a joint postdoc working in both Mike Blackman's and Tony Holder's labs. He focuses on developing new ways to culture and study the malaria parasite known as Plasmodium knowlesi. Although primarily a malaria parasite of monkeys, Plasmodium knowlesi is known to occasionally infect humans and such infections are common in areas of South East-Asia, particularly in Malaysia.
During his two-month stay in Malaysia, Rob was based in the Institute for Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur. He worked with local researchers to share his techniques for culturing and manipulating the parasite in the lab. He also joined their teams undertaking malaria field work in remote areas of Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia, learning first-hand the difficulties involved in obtaining samples from patients and working under field conditions.
Rob identified many opportunities for collaboration between the UK and Malaysia and it is hoped that samples can be brought to NIMR so that the parasite can be studied using the latest genetic and molecular technologies.
Rob kept an account of his work on his blog "The Road to Malaysia".
The Winston Churchill Fellowship was an amazing opportunity, and not only as an academic endeavour. It was a privilege to join teams working on the frontline against this deadly disease as well as an eye-opening experience that highlighted the importance of our ongoing research program.
Rob Moon
Rob helping to screen villagers for Malaria in the jungles of Borneo
Click image to view at full-size
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