More about malERA

Goal

MalERA´s main objective is to identify the critical research areas that must be addressed to eradicate malaria, and to lay out a process to best organize research and development (R&D) efforts to move from malaria control to eradication. Eradication is understood as the interruption of pathogen transmission worldwide and fall in disease incidence to zero, obviating the need for further control measures.

Expected output

The principal output of the malERA process is a White Paper outlining the key knowledge gaps and tools for malaria elimination/eradication (expected first quarter 2010). This R&D agenda will reflect the result of a consensus building process on the directions for malaria R&D, and will be distributed among researchers, public health agencies and sponsors.

Context

Recent years have witnessed a renewed impetus for malaria control and the long-term goal of malaria eradication has been re-established. There is a general consensus that with currently available tools malaria can be better controlled and eliminated in some areas, but that worldwide eradication will not be achievable. Therefore, R&D forms a crucial part of the global strategy to control, eliminate and ultimately eradicate malaria. Engaging the research community is essential to ensure the inclusion of science and technology in these efforts.

General outlines for the malERA initiative were defined at an initial consultative meeting held in Seattle in March, 2008. Following the 2007 Malaria Forum and the Global Malaria Action Plan launched in September 2008 by the Roll Back Malaria partnership (RBM) –which re-established the goal of malaria eradication–, the malaria research and academic community is now embarking upon a year-long process of rigorous scientific consultation to identify current knowledge gaps  in malaria parasite biology, immunology, epidemiology, vector biology and interactions with the human host, among other scientific areas, and define new tools needed for malaria eradication. The Malaria Eradication Research Agenda initiative (malERA) has been presented to and endorsed by the RBM Partnership Board.

Organization

The core of the malERA process is organized around seven consultative groups that bring together experts in different technological and scientific areas and focus in different disciplinary sectors of malaria control: (1) drugs, (2) health systems, operational research and diagnostics, (3) integration strategies, (4) modeling, (5) monitoring and evaluation, and surveillance, (6) vaccines, and (7) vector control.

The R&D agenda will be developed based on the outcome of these groups thereby synchronizing efforts to improve impact and stimulate cross disciplinary thinking.  The process will culminate in a “Zenith Week” in which the Steering Committee, the Leadership Council and selected members of the consultative groups, the International Advisory Committee and others will develop the final White Paper outlining the R&D malaria agenda, expected the first quarter 2010.

Management and structure

MalERA initiative is being managed by a three-tiered governance structure: (1) a Leadership Council, formed of representatives from international organizations supporting malaria R&D and control efforts, (2) an International Advisory Committee, a source of technical and scientific information, and (3) a Steering Committee, which coordinates the process and chairs the consultative groups.

To allow input from a broader base, the project has developed a Stakeholders Online Forum, which enables sharing of documents and facilitate discussion of topics relevant to the wider malaria community.

The Steering Committee and Consultative Groups are composed of independent scientists with demonstrated expertise in malaria and other infectious diseases, and are being coordinated by Dr. Pedro Alonso. Continuity and cross-sector communication within the different program elements is facilitated by a Secretariat based at the Barcelona Centre for International Health Research (CRESIB, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona). This initiative is supported by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

For additional information, please contact the project coordinator, Almudena Legarda, at almudena.legarda@cresib.cat