Malaria Physiopathology and Genomics

What do we do?

The overall goal of the Malaria Physiopathology and Genomics group is to contribute to developing new tools for the control and eventual elimination of malaria through understanding key physiopathological events of malaria in children and pregnant women. To this end, the team combines molecular biology, genomics, immunology, epidemiology, and clinical medicine to study parasite and host factors influencing the clinical outcome of malaria infections.

Our Objectives

• Improve next-generation surveillance: We aim to develop malaria molecular surveillance approaches to interrogate parasite populations using molecular biology approaches (next-generation sequencing and serology). We are also interested in assessing the value of an antenatal-based surveillance approach by comparing temporal and spatial trends of malaria infections and the parasite genetic composition in pregnant women and children to guide impactful interventions.
• Near-elimination malaria: In close collaboration with the CISM in Mozambique, we aim to understand changes in the host (immunity) and parasite (sexual and asexual balance) factors in response to selective pressures exerted by large-scale programs which quickly reduce the malaria parasite biomass in a community. In collaboration with the University Cayetano Heredia in Peru, we also investigate potential “zoonotic” forms of malaria in low transmission settings of the Amazon basis, which can compromise elimination efforts.
• Study asymptomatic malaria: As the drive towards elimination intensifies, the question arises about the added benefit of identifying and treating asymptomatic infections to interrupt transmission. The answer to this lies in better understanding the natural dynamics and biological factors of afebrile Plasmodium falciparum infections. We are applying novel approaches to describe parasite dynamics and biological processes affecting the natural progression of asymptomatic infections in untreated afebrile individuals.
• Capacity strengthening in Mozambique: We pursue the development of technical and human capacities at CISM (Mozambique) through training on state-of-the-art approaches to investigating malaria disease, and prioritizing research based on programmatic needs through a dialogue with national malaria control programs. With the ultimate goal of empowering the new generation of researchers in Mozambique through capacity strengthening and rooting research in the country.

Where do we work?

• Pujol A, Brokhattingen N, Matambisso G, Mbeve H, Cistero P, Escoda A, Maculuve S, Cuna B, Melembe C, Ndimande N, Munguambe H, Montana Lopez J, Nhamussa Wilson L, Tetteh SK, Drakeley C, Gamain B, Chitnis C, Chauhan VS, Llorenç Quintó L, Chidimatembue A, Martí H, Galatas B, Guinovart C, Saute F, Aide P, Macete E, Mayor A (2023). Detecting temporal and spatial malaria patterns from first antenatal care visits. Nature Communications (Preprint). DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2592126/v1
   
• Matambisso G, Brokhattingen N, Maculuve S, Cisteró P, Mbeve H, Escoda A, Miguel J, Buetas E, de Jong I, Cuna B, Melembe C, Ndimande N, Porras G, Chen H, Tetteh KKA, Drakeley C, Gamain B, Chitnis C, Chauhan V, Quintó L, Galatas B, Macete E, Mayor A (2022). Gravidity and malaria trends interact to modify P. falciparum densities and detectability in pregnancy: a 3-year prospective multi-site observational study. BMC Medicine, 20(1), 396-. DOI: 10.1186/s12916-022-02597-6
   
• Mayor A, da Silva C, Rovira-Vallbona E, Roca-Feltrer A, Bonnington C, Wharton-Smith A, Greenhouse B, Bever C, Chidimatembue A, Guinovart C, Proctor JL, Rodrigues M, Canana N, Arnaldo P, Boene S, Aide P, Enosse S, Saute F, Candrinho B (2022). Prospective surveillance study to detect antimalarial drug resistance, gene deletions of diagnostic relevance and genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Mozambique: protocol. BMJ Open, 12(7), e063456-. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063456
   
• Gupta H, Rubio M, Sitoe A, Varo R, Cisteró P, Madrid L, Cuamba I, Jimenez A, Xavier Martiáñez-Vendrell, Barrios D, Pantano L, Brimacombe A, Bustamante, Bassat Q, Mayor A (2021). Plasma MicroRNA profiling of Plasmodium falciparum biomass and association with severity of malaria disease. Emerging Infectious Diseases, 27(2), 430-442. DOI: 10.3201/EID2702.191795
   
• Mayor A, Bassat Q (2021). Sizing the reservoirs of malaria transmission: the contribution of school-aged children. Lancet Infectious Diseases, 21(11), 1478-1480. DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(21)00130-4
   
• Chidimatembue A, Svigel SS, Mayor A, Aíde P, Nhama A, Nhamussua L, Nhacolo A, Bassat Q, Salvador C, Enosse S, Saifodine A, De Carvalho E, Candrinho B, Zulliger R, Goldman I, Udhayakumar V, Lucchi NW, Halsey ES, Macete E (2021). Molecular surveillance for polymorphisms associated with artemisinin-based combination therapy resistance in Plasmodium falciparum isolates collected in Mozambique, 2018. Malaria Journal, 20(1), 398-. DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03930-9
   
• Gupta, H; Galatas, B; Chidimatembue, A; Huijben, S; Cistero, P; Matambisso, G; Nhamussua, L; Simone, W; Bassat, Q; Menard, Dr; Ringwald, P; Rabinovich, N. R; Alonso, P L.; Saute, F; Aide, P; Mayor, A (2020). Effect of mass dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine administration in southern Mozambique on the carriage of molecular markers of antimalarial resistance. Plos One, 15(10 October), e0240174-. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240174