Research Clusters

The research programmes and expertise are channelled through four Research Clusters that are themselves divided into work packages (WP). Each Research Cluster proposes a series of integrated themed research programmes that will significantly improve our understanding of the areas of study.

Each element of the research as detailed in the Joint Plan of Activities (JPA) relies upon the harmonised participation of numerous partners within the NoE (Network of Excellence) in the following Clusters and constituent WPs. In some cases the research will hopefully lead to avenues that can be directly translated into therapies and fed into enhanced pipelines for exploitation that will be established with industry and academia.

The individual research clusters define the S&T (Science & Technology) objectives and are organised between 3 and 5 work packages outlined below in terms of quantifiable objectives:

Cluster 1. Immunobiology and Pathophysiology:

WP1.1.1 An Analysis of the Host Parasite Interface;

WP1.1.2. Malaria Pathogenesis;

WP1.1.3. Towards a Greater Understanding of Mechanisms of Immunity.

Cluster 2. Parasite Molecular and Cell Biology:

WP1.2.1 Investigations of the Dynamics of Gene Expression and Protein Interactions;

WP1.2.2 Understanding Mechanisms of Motility, Host Recognition, Invasion And Egress;

WP1.2.3 Investigations of the Physiology and Biology of the Parasite and Parasitised Cell.

Cluster 3. Vector-Parasite Interactions:

WP1.3.1 Illuminating Vector/Host/Parasite Interactions;

WP1.3.2 Population genetics of Vector/Parasite/Host interactions

WP1.3.3 Vector/Host Bioinformatics

Cluster 4. Modelling and Systems Biology:

WP1.4.1 The Structural and Functional Enhancement of Genome Annotation;

WP1.4.2 Introduction of Systems Analysis to Plasmodium Expression Data;

WP1.4.3 Exemplar Project 1: The regulation of Plasmodium Sexual Development;

WP1.4.4 Exemplar project 2: Plasmodium metabolism and metabolomics

WP1.4.5 Further Development of Experimental Genetic Technologies.

This last cluster is proposed and in part seeks to develop a recently emerged discipline which the membership of the NoE sees as strategically essential to the practice of cutting edge science in malaria research. As such this cluster represents a unique opportunity to foster and exploit emerging disciplines and set a malaria research agenda across Europe that will have significant impact far into the future.