Employing institution: Institut Pasteur de Dakar
Host institution: Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)
Project title:
Molecular and genomic characterization of the neglected non-falciparum malaria parasites in Senegal
Babacar Souleymane Sambe has a doctorate in population genetics. Since 2021, he has been a Postdoctoral Fellow at Pasteur Institute in Dakar, where he focuses on malaria diagnosis and genetic characterization of malaria parasites species in Senegal. His objectives are to combine innovatively effective diagnostic with the application of genomics to detect and understand the genetic diversity of neglected malaria parasite species, which are crucial to assist elimination efforts in both low and high malaria transmission contexts.
AREF Fellowship research project
Plasmodium falciparum remains a leading cause of malaria globally, but its significant decline in incidence worldwide has raised hopes for elimination. However, the control of the life-threatening infections caused by non-falciparum species is major challenge to global malaria elimination efforts due to their low-level parasitemia and ability to cause recurrent infections. Understanding their transmission dynamics and contribution to malaria morbidity and mortality is critical to the design of targeted interventions, and genomic approaches can greatly aid in these efforts. This project aims to genetically characterize non-falciparum parasites in Senegal, exploring their genetic diversity and identifying genetic barcodes and markers of selective pressure. These insights will inform malaria surveillance and control programs by providing a deeper understanding of the parasites’ biology. Dr Sambe will use advanced labs and expert support for genome sequencing and computing, enhancing his understanding of infectious disease genomics. His home institution aims for him to become an independent researcher and future leader in this field.
Quote
“A comprehensive understanding of all malaria parasites species is critical to minimize their public health impact and to accelerate the elimination of the diseases.”
Dr Babacar expects to start his fellowship in July 2024