Research Focus
Our research focuses on investigating biological and molecular changes that enable malaria parasites to escape diagnostic detection or antimalarial drug treatment, their epidemiology, evolution and impact to global health and Defence health.
Our findings inform malaria diagnosis and treatment policies for improving public health and defence force health protection.
Gallery
Research Projects
Current Research Projects
Evaluating and improving diagnostics for malaria and arboviral infections, in lab and in field
Investigating the emergence, evolution and epidemiology of mutant malaria parasites causing malaria RDT failure to inform diagnosis and case management policies
Investigating the emergence, evolution and epidemiology of mutant malaria parasites causing resistance to antimalarial drugs and treatment failure to inform case management policies
Research Team
Cielo Pasay
David Smith
Jye Travis
Funding
2007– Present: Grants from the US Public Health Division, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Branch (AFHSB), Global Emerging Infections Surveillance (GEIS) Section
Publications
Berhane A, Anderson K, Mihreteab S, Gresty K, Rogier E, Mohamed S, Hagos F, Embaye G, Chinorumba A, Zehaie A, Dowd S, Waters NC, Gatton ML, Udhayakumar V, Cheng Q, Cunningham J. 2018. Major Threat to Malaria Control Programs by Plasmodium falciparum Lacking Histidine-Rich Protein 2, Eritrea. Emerg Infect Dis 24:462-470.
Gresty K, Anderson K, Pasay C, Waters NC, Cheng Q. 2019. Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum Kelch 13 and P. vivax Kelch 12 Genes in Parasites Collected from Three South Pacific Countries Prior to Extensive Exposure to Artemisinin Combination Therapies. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 63.
Peatey C, Chen N, Gresty K, Anderson K, Pickering P, Watts R, Gatton ML, McCarthy J, Cheng Q. 2020. Dormant Plasmodium falciparum parasites in human infections following artesunate therapy. J Infect Dis.
Further Information
National collaborators:
o Michelle Gatton – Queensland University of Technology
o James McCarthy and Bridget Barber – QIMR Berghofer
o Sarah Auburn, Mathew Grigg and Ric Price – Global and Tropical Health Division Menzies School of Health Research
o Rogan Lee – Westmead Hospital
o Mike Edstein, Brady McPherson, Fiona McCallum, Marina Chavchich - ADFMIDI
International collaborators:
o Jane Cunningham – Global Malaria Program, WHO, Geneva
o Charlotte Rasmussen – Diagnosis, Medicine and Resistance, Global Malaria Program, WHO, Geneva
o Brian Vesely and Mariusz Wojnarski – Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), USA and Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Thailand
o Araia Berhane and Selam Mihreteab, Ministry of Health, Eritrea.
o Bosco Agaba, Ministry of Health, Uganda
o Juan Sanchez and Hugo Valdivia, US Naval Medical Research Unit South (NAMRU- South), Peru
o Matthew Coldiron, (MD, MPH), Doctors Without Borders (MSF) / Epicentre, New York, USA
o Peter Kaminiel (MD) Director of Health Services, PNG Defence Force, Port Moresby, PNG
o Hosea Akala, Malaria Drug Resistance Program, Kenya Medical Research Institute/ US army Medical Research Directorate – Africa, Kisumu, Kenya
o Khalid Beshir and Colin Sutherland - Faculty of Infectious Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK
o Dr. Simon Thornley, University of Auckland, New Zealand
o Dr. Gerhard Sundborn, University of Auckland, New Zealand