58th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH)

November 18–22, 2009

Washington, DC: Marriott Wardman Park


MVI is sponsoring one symposium at the conference.

The malaria eradication paradigm: Blocking the cycle of transmission through vaccination

Thursday, November 19, 2009
1:30 p.m.–3:15 p.m.
Location: Salon 1

Malaria vaccines capable of interrupting the cycle of transmission are likely to be an essential component of the tool kit needed to achieve the long-term goal of elimination and eradication. In the absence of highly effective vaccines to block mosquito-to-human transmission, an alternative strategy is to target human-to-mosquito transmission. This approach involves immunizing humans with parasite and/or mosquito-derived antigens to elicit antibodies that block invasion of the parasite into mosquitoes. This symposium focuses on the biological rationale for this approach, promising new data to support the strategy, and the unique challenges being faced in developing and securing licensure for this class of vaccine.

Learning objectives

Objective 1: Participants will learn the biological rationale for developing malaria transmission-blocking vaccines based on Plasmodium sexual-stage and Anopheles midgut antigens.

Objective 2: Participants will become familiar with the latest data supporting the development of transmission-blocking vaccines that are expected to have an essential role in elimination and eradication of malaria.

Objective 3: Participants will learn about the tools that support development of this class of vaccine, as well as the challenges we face in securing licensure of this unique type of vaccine.

Agenda

10–15 minutes

Introduction to session and overview of MVI's research and development strategy

Ashley Birkett,
MVI (Moderator)

15 minutes

Parasite biology as it relates to transmission-blocking vaccine development

Robert Sinden, Imperial College

15 minutes

Biology of malaria vectors

Frank Collins,
The University of Notre Dame

15 minutes

Vaccine approaches based on parasite antigens

Nirbhay Kumar,
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute

15 minutes

Vaccines approaches based on vector antigens

Rhoel Dinglasan,
Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute

45 minutes

Moderated Q&A session

Moderator, All Faculty

Symposium close

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