Applying science to tackle tropical diseases
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine carries out research, teaching, training and consultancy in the fields of public health and tropical medicine.
Working in a famous tradition
The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on the corner of Gower Street and Keppel Street has a frieze featuring famous names in the history of the study of infectious diseases including Jenner, Pasteur, Koch and others.
The malaria centre
The DFID Malaria Knowledge Programme is one of several major programmes at the school. It is supported by the UK government's Department for International Development. The aim of the scientific work is to reduce suffering due to malaria in developing countries.
The scientists are focusing on three areas of work.
(1) The use of mosquito nets treated with insecticide which have been shown to be very effective in preventing infection and cutting down the death rate of children from malaria in developing countries.
(2) The improvement of ways to predict epidemics in areas of unstable malaria. This has involved work on local environmental changes as well as aspects of global climatic change
(3) A detailed study of Indian urban malaria using a range of scientific techniques looking particularly at the occurrence of malaria arising from the movement of people looking for work.
The malaria programme is also involved in trials of possible malaria vaccines and of new treatments with drugs.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 17 January 2007
