01
Asymptomatic Infection & Hidden Burden
Most malaria infections produce no fever and remain untreated. Using ultrasensitive molecular diagnostics, we characterize the full extent of the infection reservoir, including sub-microscopic parasitemia, to reveal the true epidemiological landscape that clinical surveillance misses entirely.
Diagnostics
02
Transmission Networks & Spatial Genomics
Transmission is highly focal in space and time, yet the drivers of this heterogeneity are poorly understood. We combine parasite genotyping with GPS data to reconstruct transmission networks, distinguish imported from local infections, and identify persistent foci that resist standard control measures.
Genomics
03
Gametocyte Biology & Infectivity
Not all infections transmit equally to mosquitoes. By quantifying sexual-stage transmission forms, we investigate how infectivity varies across individuals, seasons, and settings. In western Kenya, we showed that parasites increase their investment in transmission during the wet season when vectors are most abundant.
Transmission
04
hrp2/hrp3 Deletions & Diagnostic Failure
Deletions of P. falciparum genes hrp2 and hrp3 render standard rapid diagnostic tests blind to infection. We developed a high-throughput digital PCR method to screen isolates from numerous countries, mapping deletion frequencies and helping malaria control programs select appropriate diagnostics.
Surveillance
05
Amplicon Sequencing & Novel Methods
We develop and validate amplicon deep-sequencing panels for microhaplotype genotyping of polyclonal infections, ddPCR quantification of transmission stages, and mobile nanopore sequencing in endemic field sites. Our tools lower the barrier for in-country genomic surveillance globally.
Methods Development
06
Population Genomics Across Species
Our work spans P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. We use parasite genetic networks, relatedness analyses, and population genomic tools to understand how malaria is currently circulating in places such as the Ethiopian highlands, Kenya, Thailand, and other endemic settings. By mapping parasite connectivity, local transmission, and population structure, we generate evidence that can support surveillance and elimination strategies.
Population Genetics
