{ "items": [ "\n\n
\n \n 29 November 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA new WWARN meta-analysis, commissioned by the World Health Organization and which informed a change to its treatment guidelines, has been published in The Lancet. The study provides compelling evidence that artemether-lumefantrine should now replace quinine as the treatment of choice in the first trimester.
\n \n\n\n \n 29 November 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nToday saw the long-awaited grand opening of the new Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU) / Borderland Health Foundation (BHF) Admin Building in Mae Ramat, Thailand, near the Thai-Myanmar border. And, boy was it worth the wait! Years in the planning, the very impressive new Admin Building looked absolutely stunning, the siting and architecture being universally admired by the many guests.
\n \n\n\n \n 22 November 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COMRU\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nData showing 7.7 million deaths from 33 bacterial infections can guide measures to strengthen health systems, particularly in low-income settings
\n \n\n\n \n 26 October 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nMORU research has contributed to strategies to eliminate malaria in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, helping to prevent the spread of drug-resistant malaria and improving health provision and outcomes for remote communities.
\n \n\n\n \n 19 October 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COMRU\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA study of the genetic diversity of Streptococcus pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for hundreds of thousands of infant deaths each year, found that deep sequencing whole pneumococcal populations gave unsurpassed sensitivity for detecting multiple colonisations and was twice as effective at detecting invasive virulent strains of the bacteria as current best methods, say researchers in a study published in Nature Microbiology.
\n \n\n\n \n 28 September 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nGiving people antimalarials during and after visiting the forest reduced their risk of contracting malaria 6-fold, and could be the missing piece towards eliminating malaria in Asia-Pacific and South America, say Mahidol and Oxford University researchers in a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
\n \n\n\n \n 31 August 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nThe joint MORU and IDDO Study to review global COVID-19 therapeutics guidelines, led by PIs Cintia V. Cruz, Mia Cokljat and Philippe Gu\u00e9rin, is examining current national COVID-19 treatment recommendations to investigate the level of variation and whether they are consistent with WHO guidelines for the pharmacological prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
\n \n\n\n \n 30 August 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n \n \n MOCRU\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nThree MORU Network staff awarded full professorship at the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford.
\n \n\n\n \n 30 August 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nFetal abdomen growth and the mother\u2019s blood fat metabolites very early in pregnancy influence a child\u2019s weight, body fat, vision and neurodevelopment at 2 years of age
\n \n\n\n \n 12 August 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nResearchers have created a mathematical model to predict genetic resistance to antimalarial drugs in Africa to manage one of the biggest threats to global malarial control.
\n \n\n\n \n 6 August 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Conferences & meetings\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nMORU\u2019s Medicine Quality Research Group (MQRG) organised a multidisciplinary hybrid meeting at Keble College, Oxford, 3-6 July for the Wellcome Collaborative Award-funded FORESFA project (\u2018Forensic epidemiology and impact of substandard and falsified antimicrobials on public health\u2019).
\n \n\n\n \n 20 July 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nPatients affected by COVID-19 should be treated according to the severity of their disease. However, not all key national or international organisations define severity in the same way. This imprecision in severity assessment compromises the validity of some therapeutic recommendations. Using individual patient data would better guide and improve therapeutic recommendations for COVID-19.
\n \n\n\n \n 28 June 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nMicroscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films is key to quantifying and detecting malaria parasites but there can be difficulties in ensuring both a high-quality manual reading and inter-reader reliability. The EasyScan GO was developed as a potential solution to this, a microscopy device using machine-learning-based image analysis for automated parasite detection and quantification.
\n \n\n\n \n 20 June 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nEncephalitis is a worldwide public health issue, with a substantially high burden among children in Southeast Asia. A large study of the causes of childhood encephalitis in SE Asia suggests that enhanced and effective vaccination against the Japanese encephalitis virus alone could reduce encephalitis prevalence by one third.
\n \n\n\n \n 7 June 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nDavid Warrell, our founding director, has been appointed by the Queen \u2018Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to global Health Research and Clinical Practice\u2019. Please join us in congratulating Sir David on receiving this richly deserved high honour!
\n \n\n\n \n 11 May 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nOrganised by a grass-root community of thousands of scientists across the world, Pint of Science 2022 allows researchers in 25 countries and over 800 cities to share their latest findings with lay folk in interesting, informal settings. Lao PDR joined the global Pint of Science family on Monday 9 May, when the first-ever Pint of Science Laos kicked off!
\n \n\n\n \n 25 April 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nToday is World Malaria Day. The global fight against malaria is at a critical point. No new antimalarial drugs are expected in the near future, and if multi-drug resistant falciparum malaria becomes established in East Africa and spreads to other parts of Africa, millions will be at risk of drug-resistant malaria infection and death. The development of triple artemisinin-based combination therapies aims to prevent or delay the emergence of artemisinin and multi-drug resistant malaria in Africa.
\n \n\n\n \n 22 April 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nIn regions where few people have received Covid-19 vaccines, health systems remain vulnerable to surges in SARS-CoV-2 infections. During the delta-wave of COVID-19 in India, for example, healthcare facilities and staff across the country struggled to cope with the surge in the number of cases of COVID-19 due to a shortage of hospital beds for people with severe cases, plus shortages of medicines and limited human resources.
\n \n\n\n \n 24 March 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nIn 2022, tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global health problem, particularly in developing countries. On the Thai-Myanmar border, TB is an important problem among migrants, a vulnerable, very mobile population, with unstable, often difficult living conditions, insecure incomes, and poor access to health services.
\n \n\n\n \n 22 March 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA triple artemisinin-based combination therapy (TACT) of artemether-lumefantrine plus amodiaquine (AL+AQ) for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in areas with a high prevalence of artemisinin resistance is a well-tolerated, effective treatment for multidrug-resistant parasites, say a team of MORU-led researchers.
\n \n\n\n \n 8 March 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA new malaria study using a very large analysis of pooled individual patient data (IPD) from more than 70,000 patients of all ages, has been published in BMC Medicine by the WorldWide Antimalarial Resistance Network Falciparum Haematology Study Group
\n \n\n\n \n 25 January 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nFrom 2002-2018, there has been a steady increase in the places and proportion of infected people reporting validated kelch13 (K13) artemisinin resistance markers, according to a study in The Lancet Microbe. This increase in artemisinin resistance threatens efforts to eliminate malaria in Asia by 2030 \u2014 and control efforts in other endemic regions. The authors say that more consistent data collection, over longer time periods in the same areas, and rapid sharing of data are needed to map the spread of resistance and better inform policy decisions.
\n \n\n\n \n 20 January 2022\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is responsible for at least 1.27 million deaths per year \u2014 with over 97,000 deaths in 2019 in SE Asia alone, according to a study published in The Lancet by the Global Research on AntiMicrobial resistance (GRAM) project, who urged urgent action from policymakers and health communities to avoid further preventable deaths.
\n \n\n\n \n 20 December 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nIn the 2021 Oxford Recognition of Distinction round, four MORU colleagues were awarded Full Professor title.
\n \n\n\n \n 24 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n SMRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nFeatured in Nature, Victor Chaumeau collects mosquitoes in Myanmar to better understand how to control malaria.
\n \n\n\n \n 24 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nPatients in north Africa and the Middle East are using antibiotics in sharply rising quantities far beyond the global average, raising concerns over the escalating risks of resistance to medicines to treat bacterial infections. Estimated antibiotic consumption for 204 countries between 2000 and 2018 shows a 46 per cent increase in global antibiotic usage, with a surge in nations including India and Vietnam.
\n \n\n\n \n 19 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n \n \n Public Engagement\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA downloadable resource for educators, health & research professionals to help develop young peoples\u2019 understanding of AMR and positive actions they can take to mitigate it.
\n \n\n\n \n 19 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nProfessor Paul Newton was announced new Distinguished International Fellow at the ASTMH Annual Meeting Awards Ceremony on the 17th November. This distinction formally recognizes individuals who have made eminent contributions to a particular aspect of tropical medicine or hygiene.
\n \n\n\n \n 18 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nTo mark WHO World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, 18-24 Nov 2021, and help reduce the overuse of antibiotics, MORU researchers have released a new, easy to use online tool \u2013 Antibiotic Footprint Calculator \u2013 that could make an important contribution in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the world\u2019s most significant emerging threats to public health.
\n \n\n\n \n 12 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nGlobal antibiotic consumption rates increased by 46 percent in the last two decades, according to the first study to provide longitudinal estimates for human antibiotic consumption covering 204 countries from 2000 to 2018, published in Lancet Planetary Health by the Global Research on Antimicrobial Resistance (GRAM) Project.
\n \n\n\n \n 2 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COPCOV\n \n \n \n \n COVID-19\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA global study examining the impact of chloroquine / hydroxychloroquine in preventing COVID-19, COPCOV has recruited 3,386 participants as of 26 Oct from sites in Benin, C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, Indonesia, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Pakistan, Zambia, and closed sites in Thailand, Niger and the UK. Last week, the COPCOV team agreed with active site research teams that it will continue to recruit new participants until 30 Nov 2021, with preliminary study results expected Q1 2022.
\n \n\n\n \n 2 November 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA new, extensive systematic review has identified significant research gaps in the treatment of scrub typhus which could be improved by developing a database for individual participant data (IPD) to enable more detailed analyses to address important knowledge gaps such as the optimum dosing for children and to improve patient outcomes.
\n \n\n\n \n 11 October 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA series of papers which reviewed portable devices to detect poor quality medicines has concluded major gaps in scientific evidence remain a key barrier for regulators to implement surveillance systems using such devices.
\n \n\n\n \n 22 September 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nEvery year, the Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM) awards NDM Prizes to its most outstanding graduate research students. MORU was well represented this year, with Mo Yin and Rebecca Inglis highly commended in the category NDM Overall Prize, for conducting research with an outstanding impact. Will Schilling (MORU) received a prize as first year DPhil student.
\n \n\n\n \n 21 September 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n LOMWRU\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nThere are important but neglected issues with substandard and falsified medicines and medical products used to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases. From limited available data, MORU and IDDO scientists found about one fifth of medicines reported as sampled in the literature were substandard or falsified. This systematic review suggests that more and better quality data and data sharing are needed to better understand the global burden of this problem and inform interventions.
\n \n\n\n \n 14 September 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n Awards & Appointments\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nFollowing the meeting of the Medical Sciences Divisional Committee to consider applications for the conferral of the title of Associate Professor, we are pleased to announce that Rashan Haniffa, Dorcas Kamuya, Isabella Oyier, Le Van Tan and Timothy Walker have been awarded the title Associate Professor
\n \n\n\n \n 30 July 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COPCOV\n \n \n \n \n COVID-19\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nA 6-week recruitment burst at Aga Khan University in Pakistan led the way as COPCOV enrolment broke 1600 participants. Led by MORU, COPCOV is the world\u2019s largest trial trying to determine if hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine prevent COVID-19.
\n \n\n\n \n 21 July 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nAn international team, led by Phaik Yeong Cheah, conducted an anonymous online survey from May-June 2020, asking 5,058 people in Thailand, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Italy and Slovenia to share their experiences. Anne Osterrieder and colleagues report the unequal impacts of public health measures, and the prevalence of \u2018fake news\u2019.
\n \n\n\n \n 9 July 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n COPCOV\n \n \n \n \n COVID-19\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nAs high COVID-19 daily cases and highly transmissible variants risk overwhelming countries\u2019 healthcare systems, COPCOV, the world\u2019s last-standing large prophylaxis RCT, faces tight timelines to determine whether chloroquine/ hydroxychloroquine prevents COVID-19
\n \n\n\n \n 8 July 2021\n \n
\n\n \n\n \n\n \n \n \n \n MORU Bangkok\n \n \n\n \n\n\n
\n \n\n \n \n \nAbout one-third of children diagnosed with severe malaria may instead have an alternative cause of illness, but simple blood tests could help researchers distinguish between the two and speed up research on new treatments.
\n \n\n