Our main objectives are to:
- achieve major new advances to strengthen diagnosis, treatment and prevention of malaria through innovative research
- contribute to the World Health Organization's (WHO’s) global elimination targets of a 90 per cent reduction in malaria incidence and mortality. This will be achieved through discovery-based laboratory and translation research, and in-field education, prevention and treatment public health programs
- support national malaria control programs in our region in reaching the WHO elimination targets.
To achieve our goals, we work with partners in Australia and internationally, especially in malaria-endemic regions in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and East Africa. We also collaborate with industry partners to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics. Burnet’s Malaria Program focuses on five main areas:
- Diagnostics:
- Creating new malaria diagnostics and tools and strategies for improved malaria treatment and enhanced surveillance.
- Creating new malaria diagnostics and tools and strategies for improved malaria treatment and enhanced surveillance.
- Vaccines:
- Understanding immunity to malaria to develop effective vaccines against the two major causes of human malaria, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax.
- Advancing the development and evaluation of leading malaria vaccine candidates.
- Drugs and Drug Resistance
- Developing new antimalarial drugs and tracking and preventing the spread of drug resistance, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Developing new antimalarial drugs and tracking and preventing the spread of drug resistance, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
- Prevention and Surveillance
- Establishing surveillance and response systems to improve malaria control efficiency and fast-track the pathways to elimination.
- Developing and evaluating improved malaria prevention strategies.
- Community Empowerment
- Operational and implementation research to increase access to quality health care services and malaria prevention.
- Supporting improved health behaviours, strengthening health systems and delivery of health care, and supporting communities in malaria elimination activities.
Together, here are some of the ways we’ve made a positive contribution towards reaching the global malaria elimination targets
- discovered new insights into how drug resistance may emerge in populations and how to better quantify and monitor its spread
- identified new antimalarial compounds with the potential for development into drugs, such as malaria tablets
- identified immune responses that protect against malaria and new approaches for vaccine development
- developed new low-cost diagnostic tests to guide the treatment of malaria
- developed novel tools to enhance surveillance and tracking of malaria in populations
- created strategies in affected communities to address gaps in health services and coverage to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
participants recruited so far in a cross-sectional survey of pregnant women in Papua New Guinea to evaluate a Highly Sensitive Rapid Diagnostic Test for malaria.
malaria projects supported by Burnet with a focus on creating the greatest impact on the health of resource-poor communities like Papua New Guinea.
antigen combinations examined by Burnet researchers to identify those most promising for malaria vaccine development.
is the number of core proteins in PTEX, a parasite gateway discovered by Burnet researchers. PTEX serves as an entry point for the malaria parasite into red blood cells.
Working Groups
Burnet is an Australian-based medical research and public health institute and international non-government organisation that is working towards a more equitable world through better health.
Diagnostic Markers in Chronic Immune Disorders Group
Head: Dr Raffi Gugasyan. Understanding the role of key signalling molecules that are critical for th...
Global Health: policy, practice and community action
Co Heads: Mr Chad Hughes and Ms Lisa Davidson. We translate research into sustainable health solutio...
Immune Therapies Group
Head: Professor Mark Hogarth. Creating powerful antibody-based biological drugs which will form the ...
Infectious Diseases Systems Epidemiology Group
Head: Professor Alyssa Barry. Humans and pathogens exist in complex populations and environments, wh...
Malaria and Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Group
Head: Professor Freya Fowkes. Understanding malaria dynamics in populations is key to implementing e...
Malaria Immunity and Vaccines Group
Head: Professor James Beeson. Research focussed on immunity, vaccines, new treatments and clinical s...
Malaria Virulence, Drug Discovery and Resistance
Co-Heads: Dr Paul Gilson and Dr Hayley Bullen. Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease that infec...
