Penn State Part of International Malaria Research and Education Partnership

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Researchers at Penn State are working with other institutions in Thailand and the U.S. to better understand malaria around the world.

Malaria is a debilitating disease caused by a tiny microbe that is transmitted from an infected person to other people by mosquitoes. More than 300 million people are affected by malaria worldwide, and 1.5 million die from it annually. Those that do not succumb to the disease suffer periodic bouts of sickness that diminishes their ability to work and care for their families.

According to Dr. Liwang Cui, assistant professor of entomology at Penn State, malaria is still a major health problem in Thailand. While reported malaria cases have continued to decrease over the past two decades in Thailand, in rural areas people still remain at great risk. “In Thailand, all four species of malaria occur, but the vast majority are caused by the Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections,” says Dr. Cui. “While major focus has been on P. falciparum, the most deadly of all malaria species, the burden of P. vivax has largely been neglected. In recent years, worldwide distribution of P. vivax has expanded significantly and the number of cases has been on the rise.”

According to Dr. Cui, an integrated approach is needed targeting the two most prevalent malaria types. “Understanding how the parasites function, develop, and survive will allow us to explore new vaccine and drug options,” says Dr. Cui. “Many of today's drugs are becoming less effective due to the buildup of resistance within parasite populations. Research concerning population structure and genetic mutations will teach us about the parasites' long term reactions to drugs.”

Dr. Cui and researchers from Thailand’s AFRIMS and Mahidol University are studying the population structure of P. vivax. “Because malaria caused by each Plasmodium species is treated with different drugs, correct diagnosis of the disease is essential,” explains Dr. Cui. “Just as understanding the biology of P. falciparum has significantly advanced management of that parasite, we are hoping that by obtaining more information on P. vivax, we can better manage malaria.” So far, the ability to sequence the genome of P. vivax for the very first time has allowed Dr. Cui and his colleagues to discover valuable data that should aide in current control measures in regions in Thailand where P. vivax is prevalent.

In addition to the research program, Dr. Cui is part of a collaborative team of researchers that received a training grant from the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. “The grant is allowing experts in U.S. and Thailand to train future scientists in Thailand to be better equipped to address the challenges of malaria,” says Dr. Cui. Currently, both students in the U.S. and Thailand participating in the program are finishing up their course work and will be moving on to more research-based work. “Hopefully, the preliminary work they are doing will help us obtain additional research grants and further our work,” says Dr. Cui. The collaborative malaria research and education projects will help cement the relationship of U.S. universities with their sister institutions in Southeast Asia.

Dr. Cui, a native of northern China, received Ph.D.s from Moldova Agricultural University in Chisinau, Moldova and the University of Kentucky. He joined the entomology department in 2000 where he studies insect-borne disease and teaches. For more information on his work, contact Dr. Cui at (814) 863-7663 or by e-mail at luc2@psu.edu. You may also go to Dr. Cui’s Molecular Entomology & Parasitology Lab web page at http://www.ento.psu.edu/cuilab/.

Established in 1963, Penn State’s Department of Entomology has grown into a well-balanced department providing undergraduate education, graduate student training and extension outreach education focusing on both domestic and international issues. Twenty faculty and more than thirty graduate students work on a variety of research topics providing insights into insect ecology, behavior and molecular biology as well as integrated pest management. The department is part of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences. For more information about solving insect problems, descriptions of research and education programs or admission to the graduate program, visit Web site at http://www.ento.psu.edu/ or contact the department at (814) 865-1895.

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Editors Contact:
Kristie Auman-Bauer
Writer/Editor
(814) 865-2839
kma147@psu.edu