Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by the Plasmodium parasite, which is spread to humans by Anopheles mosquitoes. In 2024, over 280 million people were infected with malaria across 80 countries, with more than 600,000 deaths.
There are five species of the Plasmodium parasite, some of which require different treatments. The Plasmodium falciparum species causes the most severe malaria, with pregnant women and children especially at risk.
Recently, P. falciparum has learned how to evade the most commonly used rapid diagnostic tests in Africa. This can result in sick patients receiving delayed treatment, with potentially lethal consequences, especially for children.
The second most prevalent form of malaria, Plasmodium vivax, is also known as ’silent’ malaria, as it can often be asymptomatic, going undetected and acting as a hidden reservoir of infection. As countries work to eliminate malaria, mass testing to find carriers and then treat them is vital to meet malaria elimination goals.
Accurately identifying which species has infected a patient is crucial to providing appropriate treatment. Malaria proteins are the molecules produced by malaria parasites which when detected in blood confirm malaria infection, leading to improved diagnostic accuracy.
Accurate diagnosis is key to elimination
Since 2021, The University of Queensland’s Protein Expression Facility (PEF), housed at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), has played a vital role by producing these essential proteins used to design and qualify lifesaving diagnostic tests and develop new treatments.
This year, PEF and PATH are renewing their partnership, signaling a shared commitment to advancing worldwide research into high-quality malaria diagnostics.
Dr. Christian Fercher, Operations Manager at PEF, said producing high quality malaria proteins for PATH at cost ensures that these critical reagents are made available and accessible beyond well-resourced laboratories.
“We are supplying orders worldwide, including to clients in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia," Dr. Fercher says. "These clients are often startups or small companies that don’t have big budgets, and we are able to provide the proteins at a reasonable price.”
Director of PEF, Professor David J Owen, said the renewed partnership between The University of Queensland and PATH highlights the impact of access to the proteins in tackling malaria worldwide.
“We are delighted to keep working with PATH. We have been able to support many researchers over the last five years and look forward to supporting many more,” he said.
ADVANCE SOP Training with Research Nurses in Papua New Guinea. Photo: The Burnet Institute.
A multifaceted malaria program
Working with PEF is just one part of the PATH-led Actionable Surveillance and Neglected Disease Control and Elimination (ADVANCE) program, which is advancing a portfolio of high-quality diagnostics to ensure equitable access to effective malaria treatment options across the Indo-Pacific.
Dr. Gonzalo Domingo, PATH’s Global Diagnostics Director, said he is excited to direct manufacturers and researchers to the resources at PEF.
“Having the diagnostic target proteins for all species of malaria available at the high quality provided by PEF will greatly accelerate the development and qualification of new diagnostic tests, meeting the evolving challenges presented to countries trying to treat and eliminate this disease,” he says.
The proteins are available for purchase and can be obtained directly from The University of Queensland’s Protein Expression Facility.
Funding to support the development of custom proteins for malaria diagnostics has been provided to PATH by the Gates Foundation. With additional support from the Australian Government through the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative, the ADVANCE program brings together the expertise of PATH, the Burnet Institute, and WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research).
