Malaria programme at the Institute of Primate Research has the overall goal of developing a baboon malaria model for understanding parasite biology, drug drug and vaccine development using cutting edge technologies. This involves using the fifth human malaria parasite, Plasmodium knowlesi and the largest old world monkey available for research, Olive baboon (Papio anubis) as the main experimental system.

Objectives of the programme include preclinical development of drugs and vaccines against malaria; understanding malaria parasite biology using combined in vitro and in vivo studies; developing the baboon/P. knowlesi as a robust system for preclinical testing of drugs and vaccines developed elsewhere and to build capacity for malaria research

To achieve this, the programme runs immunoparasitology and molecular Parasitology labs.

The main technologies in the programme include Immunological analysis of baboon systems; Infection procedures for P. knowlesi in monkeys; DNA vaccination by electroporation in baboons; In vitro and in vivo transfection of P. knowlesi; Drug analysis in vitro and in vivo in baboons and Long term in vitro culture of P. knowlesi

Milestones in the programme include: Parasite inoculum in the baboon established; Disease profile in the baboon characterized; Immunology of malaria in the baboon described; In vivo transfection protocol established; Placental malaria demonstrated in the baboon; Student training programme matured; Investigator initiated grant funding established; Collaborative studies established; Severe malaria in the baboon characterised

 
The Malaria research team of the Institute of Primate Research (IPR) is currently undertaking studies in the following areas:

o       Developing a baboon model for Placental malaria (WHO-MIM funding)

o       Transfection of P.  berghei and P. knowlesi (EU/WOTRO funding)

o       Preclinical development of antifolates (especially methotrexate) as an antimalarial (EU AntiMal consortium)

o       Malaria and Schistosomiasis co-infection studies (NIH funding)

o       Development of anti malarials from natural products  (local funding)

o       Characterization of severe malaria in the baboon (local funding)

 
Major events of 2007 include hosting an international workshop on primate use in biomedical research with WHO-TDR support, facilitating 3 workshops on Effective Project planning in biomedical research with WHO-TDR support (locally and in Nigeria) and participating in a workshop on Project management in EU sponsored projects (with AntiMal support) and finally cordinating the 17th IPR scientific conference 2007

 Current active collaborations with the programme include the Wellcome Trust Kilifi (drug studies), University of Georgia Atlanta (placental malaria in the baboon), BPRC in The Netherlands (malaria transfection), local public universities (graduate and post-graduate student training), Kenya Medical Research Institute (Placental malaria), TropenMed in Germany (drug studies), Wright State University USA (drug studies) and

 John Hopkins University in Baltimore (preclinical testing of transmission blocking vaccines).

For inquiries contact the programme leader Dr. Hastings Ozwara; E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ; This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it