A Collaborative Solution for Tropical Diseases: The Luso-American Response

Malaria Conference 2009

Meeting Date: July 8-10, 2009

Location: Headquarters of the Foundation for LusoAmerican Development (FLAD) (Non-government site): Lisbon, Portugal

Meeting Concept: The immediate impact of tropical infectious diseases is largely regional; however, due to the challenges of eliminating diseases in resource-poor settings and the reverberating effects of such wide scale morbidity and mortality, there is a global responsibility to develop collaborative, synchronous initiatives and solutions. A shared contribution of resources as well as scientific, cultural, and regional knowledge through global partnerships would expedite the process of reducing the burden of diseases in the developing world context.

The Luso-American Development Foundation in collaboration with NIAID has developed a three-year annual conference series which highlights the importance of developing multidisciplinary collaborative research projects in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HIV-AIDS, malaria, or tuberculosis in Africa: “A Collaborative Solution for Tropical Diseases: The Luso-American Response”. The series commenced with the Tuberculosis Conference in October 2007. Malaria is the subject of the July 8-10 2009 conference in Lisbon. HIV/AIDS will be covered in 2010.

2009 Malaria Conference will include:

1. Selected Abstracts: 25 minute talks by those whose abstracts are selected.
2. Invited Speakers: Keynote talks by selected malaria experts
3. Closed round table discussions: for invited participants only
4. The Luso-American Collaborative Response Awards on Malaria (LACR Awards): Small start up grants for 20k Euros given to the best three collaborative projects developed during the conference. Conference participants only (closed or open sessions)

Objectives of Malaria Conference 2009:

1. To have a multi-disciplinary call for abstracts bringing together basic science and public health researchers to encourage cross talk (epidemiology, entomology, immunology, vaccines, drugs, social mobilization, etc.)
2. To discuss problems with current malaria research strategies in Africa and develop and document innovative collaborative solutions during guided round table discussions.
3. To provide a forum for Portuguese, Brazilian, and Lusophone African researchers in the areas of diagnostics, treatment, and prevention of malaria working on or in Africa to network, share data, experience, and general knowledge with American researchers with similar expertise and vice versa.
4. To develop collaborative research projects through FLAD’s small start-up grant program for the best proposals created out of the conference, by conference participants, with conference participants.

Important Dates:

1. Call for abstracts submission period: Jan. 15 - Mar. 15, 2009
2. Notification of selected abstracts: Apr. 10 - Apr. 20, 2009
3. Date of Conference in Lisbon, Portugal: July 8-10 2009
4. LACR Award Proposals Accepted: Aug. 1 - Oct. 1, 2009
5. LACR Awards Announced: Nov. 1, 2009

MALARIA CONFERENCE CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: Jan. 15 - Mar. 15, 2009. Please submit abstract no longer than 3 pages and all information and documents to: collinska@niaid.nih.gov and rui.vallera@flad.pt

This must include: CV with name, institution, contact information and abstract (ONLY 2 documents please)

Because this is a multidisciplinary meeting, the call for abstracts is open to the following topic headings. Examples are below each heading but are not exclusive.

1. Malaria Control/Prevention/eradication:
• Vector control/biology
• Insecticides/resistance
• Bednets/social prevention
• Parasite biology
2. Malaria Epidemiology:
• Biologic
• Environmental
• Behavioral
3. New Tools for Malaria:
• Vaccines
• Diagnostics
• Drugs
4. Other Factors or influences affecting Malaria:
• Natural/environmental Factors
• Hemoglobin Disorders (protection)
• Co-infections
• Vitamin deficiency
• Climate change
• Drugs
• Drug-resistance
• Non-compliance
• Counterfeits
• Malaria and a Global Effort
• Research networks
• Collaborative projects
• PPPs
• Capacity development

For more information about this year's Malaria Conference 2009 please visit the meeting website (Non-government). If you have questions or concerns please contact: Kathleen Collins or Rui Vallera.