University of Westminster scientists have developed genetically modified fungi that can kill human malaria parasites in mosquitoes. Research by Professor Angray Kang in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Westminster, Antibody Technology Group (ATG), has contributed to a significant breakthrough in the effort to control malaria by developing genetically modified fungi that kill … [Read more...]
Theft of Global Fund Donations in Togo
In a January, 2011 Foreign Policy column, Roger Bate wrote about how most of the malaria medicines donated to Togo by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS TB and Malaria (GF), had disappeared, stolen, he says, by that government's own procurement agency staff. He criticized the Global Fund for poor oversight and trying to do too much. … [Read more...]
GSK and Johnson & Johnson Announce Malaria Vaccine Collaboration
GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK Bio) and Crucell NV (Johnson & Johnson) have announced a collaboration to develop a vaccine approach aimed at boosting the efficacy of the world’s most clinically advanced malaria vaccine candidate, RTS,S. The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) today congratulated the companies on the partnership. "We are excited by the potential of this new endeavor for … [Read more...]
Malaria No More Refutes New York Times “Mission Accomplished” Story
On April 1, 2011, the New York Times ran a story entitled: "Mission Accomplished, Nonprofits Go Out of Business," and prominently featured one of the leading anti-malaria groups, Malaria No More, as an example of an organization that was basically close to completing it's mission of distributing bed nets to populations at risk of contracting malaria, and would likely shut down by 2015. … [Read more...]
Republican Budget Cuts Would Kill 70,000 Children Worldwide, Says USAID Administrator
The GOP's budget would cause the deaths of at least 70,000 children around the world who rely on American funding, according to the government agency in charge of foreign aid. Of the 70,000 deaths, 30,000 would come from slashing malaria control programs, 24,000 from lack of immunizations and 16,000 from unsafe birthing practices. "I believe these are very conservative estimates," USAID … [Read more...]
Blood Analysis Chip May Revolutionize Disease Detection
Reporter Kara Tsuboi interviews researchers at the University of California, Berkeley who are working on a new blood-analysis chip or Self-powered Integrated Microfluidic Blood Analysis System (SIMBAS), that can potentially detect hundreds of diseases at once in a matter of minutes. Bioengineering Professor Luke Lee and post-doctoral researcher Ivan Dimov are at the end of the first phase of … [Read more...]
Global Fund Calls on Beneficiary Countries to Show Commitment in Attaining MDGs
Dr Debrework Zewdie, Deputy Executive Director of The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has called on countries take up the responsibility of commitment to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) regarding the three diseases since it is only four years away. She said beneficiary countries should be anticipating what to do when the donor fund collapses … [Read more...]
Biomagnetics’ Commercialization of Integrated Optical Biosensor
Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp., a developer of diagnostic systems and technology for HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera and malaria detection, today announced details of next steps to be taken toward full commercialization of the Company’s flagship Integrated Optical Biosensor (IOBS) diagnostic system. Biomagnetics is currently in collaboration with Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop … [Read more...]
Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine Launches AvecNet Collaborative Project to Fight Spread of Malaria
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has launched a collaborative project to develop and evaluate new tools to control the spread of malaria in Africa. AvecNet is a five year, €12 million project involving sixteen partners in Africa and Europe, funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework programme. Because malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes, their effective control is … [Read more...]
Pharma Service Company Quintiles Selected for Gates Foundation Consortium Clinical Trials Work
Quintiles,an integrated biopharmaceutical company, has been named a preferred provider to a consortium of 14 global health Product Development Partnerships (PDPs), funded in part by the Bill and Melina Gates Foundation . PDPs are not-for-profit entities formed for the purpose of advancing global health and the health of the world’s poorest by the discovery, development and delivery of new … [Read more...]