Global Health Forum: Parasitic infections

Dr Jake Baum asks what will it take to eradicate malaria?

June's Global Health Forum focused on the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic infections

Imperial staff and students gathered for our monthly Global Health Forum last week with a focus this month on the technological diagnostics and delivery of treatment of parasites.

Parasitic infections are a significant problem, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. With the three main classes of parasites that can cause disease in humans: protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites, there are number of ways in which parasitic infections can spread. These include contamination through water, food, waste, soil, and blood. Parasites are responsible for a wide range of infections including malaria, schistosomiasis and trichinosis.

Professor Richard Syms

Dr Pascale Kropf, Non-Clinical Senior Lecturer in Immunology within the Faculty of Medicine discussed the diagnosis and treatment of leishmaniasis in Ethiopia.  Her full talk can be watched below.

Dr Jake Baum, Reader in Parasite Cell Biology within the Faculty of Natural Sciences talked about inter-disciplinary research for malaria eradication and announced the launch of his new college wide Network of Excellence in Malaria, launching formally in October this year. 

Dr Laura Appleby, Research Associate within the Faculty of Medicine highlighted “The school as a platform to support achievement of the 2020 goals for NTD control and elimination” with questions answered from the audience by her colleague Dr Lesley Drake, Executive Director of the Partnership for Child Development.  Laura’s presentation can be watched below.

View the photos from the event here. 

Get involved

IGHI’s monthly Global Health Forums provide a platform to bring together Imperial researchers, students, and staff from across all of Imperial’s Faculties to highlight, discuss and disseminate findings on current research and innovations on relevant global health topics. The Forums encourage interdisciplinary discussions with the intention that they will foster inter-Faculty research initiatives and leverage the immense strengths of Imperial College to resolve global health priorities of the early 21st Century.

The next forum will link with the third seminar run by the Centre for International Child Health. It will take place on Thursday 13^th July at 4:00pm in the Anthony De Rothschild lecture theatre in Paddington, London, discussing ‘Microbiome: Does it really matter for our health?’.  To sign up and for further details, visit the event registration page here.