Malaria: A Global Effort to Stop this Killer
As millions are affected globally each year by malaria, learn how the global science community is united to find a cure.
Published March 18, 2013
According to the WHO, there were about 219 million cases of malaria in 2010, and it is estimated that more than 600,000 people die from malaria each year, mostly in sub-sahara Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Malaria causes incredible burdens globally.
Over the past two decades there has been a global effort by scientists, health workers, governments, and private organizations to better understand Plasmodium parasites, the transmission of this disease, and to find better preventative and treatment options, with the hope of mitigating this global killer.
The Academy has been forging partnerships with key global partners to advance these same goals over the past decade. The resources below highlight these efforts, as well as an upcoming Academy-sponsored research conference in Barcelona, Spain, in May.
 | EventAdvances in Plasmodium vivax Malaria ResearchOn May 28–29, 2013, this 2-day conference in Barcelona, Spain, will convene a global community of researchers to discuss P. vivax molecular biology and genomics, host–parasite interactions, novel research techniques (e.g., 'omics) to overcome barriers to in vitro, in vivo, and clinical study of P. vivax; drug resistance and drug discovery; and recent clinical trial and in-field efforts in P. vivax prevention, treatment, control, and elimination. |
 | EventAssessing the Plasmodium vivax Research Agenda: Interdisciplinary WorkshopsImmediately following the conference, "Advances in Plasmodium vivax Malaria Research," a series of free, interdisciplinary, satellite workshops will review progress on key aspects of the Plasmodium vivax research agenda as they pertain to malaria treatment, control, and elimination. Workshops are free; advanced registration required. |
 | eBriefingThe Forever War: Malaria versus the WorldPlasmodium parasite—the organism that causes malaria—is the focus of this Academy eBriefing. Speakers reveal the latest biological discoveries aimed to unravel the genetic basis of drug resistance; the biochemical processes that result in parasite infection in the human host; the mosquito's immune response to the parasite; and the global health and economic impacts of this infection. |
 | eBriefingMalaria 2012: Drugs, Vaccines, and PathogenesisThe malaria parasite Plasmodium is estimated to have killed more humans throughout history than any other single cause. This eBriefing features talks by scientists who are developing and implementing a multi-disciplinary toolbox that includes several recently developed molecular, genetic, and chemical techniques, as well as epidemiological and "omics" approaches to investigate Plasmodium's basic biology and its interaction with human hosts and mosquito vectors. |
 | VideoMayor Bloomberg Spotlights Malaria, Celebrates Johns Hopkins Malaria Research InstituteMichael Bloomberg, Mayor of the City of New York, delivered the welcome address as the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the New York Academy of Sciences presented "The Forever War: Malaria versus The World," a half-day symposium highlighting the global challenge of malaria. The organizations also marked the 10th anniversary of the founding of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to the treatment, prevention, control, and cure of this deadly disease. |
 | eBriefingSevere Malaria: Seeking Solutions to a Complex and Deadly DiseaseExplore this eBriefing for insights from leading malaria experts on the mechanisms of malaria pathology, disease course in its "severe" form, resistance to current therapies, and promising intervention strategies. |
About the New York Academy of Sciences
The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science, technology, and society worldwide. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. Please visit us online at www.nyas.org.