University of Florida Gets $1.5 Million Gates Foundation Grant to Fight Malaria Worldwide

David L. Smith, associate director of disease ecology at UF’s Emerging Pathogens Institute and an associate professor in the zoology department, will lead work on the new project. Smith’s previous research has focused on policy-oriented science related to malaria outbreaks, spread and management.

“To plan, we need to understand how malaria parasites move around in humans, and we also need to understand the interplay between economic and ecological aspects of malaria elimination,” said Smith. “These are difficult questions to answer, but we hope to provide some quantitative advice to help guide countries as they make strategic decisions about malaria elimination.”The Emerging Pathogens Institute brings together researchers from diverse fields to develop control, diagnostic and treatment plans including vaccines and other antimicrobials for new and emerging diseases. The Institute’s focus is to develop the research capabilities to prevent and contain outbreaks of new diseases that threaten Florida, the rest of the country and ultimately the world.