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Cindy Chu

Clinical researcher

Cindy’s main research area is in Plasmodium vivax malaria. She has conducted studies on the epidemiology of P. vivax recurrence as well as efficacy trials with the schizonticidal agents chloroquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine. Her current focus is on the radical curative treatment of P. vivax using 8-aminoquinolines and the haemolytic effects of this class of drugs in G6PD heterozygous females. The goal of this research is for the safe delivery of primaquine and tafenoquine for treatment of P. vivax malaria and within the context of P. vivax elimination.

SMRU free healthcare

Our research outputs are in a large part achieved thanks to the dedication of healthcare workers, support staff and patients. Though challenges remain, SMRU continues to provide free health care for those in need. Research helps improve health outcomes.

Chloroquine and primaquine induced haematocrit changes to G6PD heterozygote

Haemolysis caused by primaquine is dose dependent: in red 1mg/kg/day and in orange 0.5 (standard treatment). Some individuals develop large fractional haematocrit reductions (plotted shapes). Circled individuals received a blood transfusion

Plasmodium vivax recurrences

(1a) SMRU study; (1b) US sordiers returning from the Pacific, 1963; (1c) Indonesian sordiers returning from Papua; (1d) children 1-5 living in Papua New Guinea. The cumulative recurrence curve of more slowly eliminated schizonticides (i.e, chloroquine, DHA-PP) is shifted to the right compared to rapidly eliminated schizonticides (i.e, artesunate).