Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute

For decades, scientists pursued one goal: a vaccine that could prevent the disease. But malaria is caused by a complex parasite, making vaccine development far more challenging than for most infectious diseases. One scientist dedicated his career to this challenge. Sir Adrian Hill of the University of Oxford witnessed children dying from malaria in Gambia in the late 1980s and set out to develop a...

Chris talks with Dr. Justin Boddey from Melbourne's WEHI about a promising new way to halt malaria, and make people immune at the same time.

Host Chris Smith speaks with Andrea Manica, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Cambridge, about what our ancient ancestors can teach us about grappling with malaria.

Chris speaks with Sonia Shah, author of The Fever , about the history of malaria and human efforts to control it. 

Why the continent accounts for the overwhelming majority of cases.

World Malaria Day 2026 is marked under the theme Driven to End Malaria: Now We Can. Now We Must.

Professor Jane Carlton is director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. Dr. Chris Smith of the Naked Scientists interviews Jane about her research, her career and the future of malaria. 

In sub-Saharan Africa, mothers often carry their babies on their backs in colorful cotton wraps called lesu. Could treating these wraps with insecticide help prevent malaria? Dr. Ross Boyce discusses a groundbreaking study in Uganda showing that permethrin-treated wraps significantly reduce malaria in infants – and further, what this could mean for protecting the youngest and most vulnerable child...

A new study in rural western Uganda finds that treating baby-carrying cloths, or lesu, with an insecticide with modest repellent effect significantly reduces malaria infections in young children. Transcript In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, mothers carry their young children on their backs in colorful cotton wraps called lesu. Could treating these cloths with insecticide reduce malaria transmis...

Too much can kill the mosquito — too little can also kill it. But the right amount can strengthen the mosquito's defenses and stop malaria transmission. Today, the Goldilocks dose. Emma Camacho shares how a natural compound called L-DOPA strengthens mosquitoes' defenses at just the right concentration, revealing a new way to block malaria transmission.

Feeding mosquitoes L-DOPA can either strengthen their defences against malaria or shorten their lifespan — showing that in vector control, the dose makes the difference Transcript As with all medicine, the dose determines whether something helps or harms. Researchers recently looked at a substance commonly found in mosquito habitats that might form part of their diet. It's called L-3-4-dihydroxyph...

How do you turn vast amounts of genetic data into actionable insight – efficiently and accurately? Professor Bryan Greenhouse of UCSF discusses a series of "hackathons" at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute (JHMRI) that bring together scientists from around the world to tackle one of the biggest challenges in malaria research: analyzing parasite genetics. By developing open-source tools,...

In Kwale, Kenya, where bed nets alone can't stop malaria, researchers are testing ivermectin – a drug long used to treat parasitic infections – as a new way to kill mosquitoes. Trials show a 26% drop in malaria cases and added benefits against other mosquito-borne diseases, suggesting ivermectin could be a scalable, community-driven tool in the fight against insecticide resistance. With Carlos Cha...

A new study in Kenya shows that mass drug administration of ivermectin safely reduced malaria cases by 26%, offering a promising supplement to insecticide-based prevention. Transcript Bed nets and insecticides are commonly used to prevent malaria transmission. But insecticide resistance is making those tools less effective. There's a growing interest in ivermectin, an antiparasitic drug normally u...

Focusing on patients in Mali, researchers examine why some children develop life-threatening complications like cerebral malaria or severe malarial anemia.  With Mark Travassos (University of Maryland School of Medicine), Mahamadou Ali Thera (University of Science Techniques and Technologies of Bamako), and Rafal Sobota (Northwestern University). About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute...

Although severe malaria presents in different clinical forms – such as cerebral malaria or severe malarial anemia – a new study reveals that all severe cases have one thing in common: a shared inflammatory signature Transcript Whilst most cases of malaria are mild, some take a dangerous turn. In severe cases, the malaria parasite can overwhelm the body, disrupting the blood-brain barrier and leadi...

Dr. Alexandra Probst discusses a breakthrough in malaria prevention: bed nets coated with anti-parasitic drugs that stop transmission by curing infected mosquitoes. With Alexandra Probst, former graduate student at Harvard University. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share i...

How next-generation bed nets could stop malaria by killing the parasites inside mosquitoes, not just the mosquitoes themselves. Transcript Bed nets have long been a cornerstone of vector control. Coated with insecticide, they serve a dual purpose: preventing bites and killing mosquitoes. But what if those nets could do more – not only kill the mosquitoes, but for those they don't kill because of i...

The extent to which malaria vaccines reduce cases and deaths is a key consideration. But there's another factor, too. with Dr. Lemu Golassa, Head of Medical Parasitology at Addis Ababa University. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highlight impactful malaria research and to share it with the global community.

A recent study in Ethiopia reveals that local malaria parasite strains differ genetically from those targeted by current vaccines, potentially reducing their effectiveness. Transcript The recent introduction of two malaria vaccines in sub-Saharan Africa represents a major success in global health, and the culmination of decades of research and development. The two jabs – RTS,S and R21 – target a p...

The podcast explores the importance of advocacy for malaria research and control. It follows over 120 advocates gathering in Washington, DC, as part of the 'United to Beat Malaria' campaign, urging Congress to continue supporting global malaria efforts. Key topics include: The US President's Malaria Initiative (PMI), founded in 2005, which provides bed nets, test kits, and treatments to combat mal...

With a shortage of entomologists in malaria-endemic regions, could AI fill the gap? We explore VectorCam, an offline tool powered by a Convolutional Neural Network that aims to support local vector surveillance. with Dr. Soumya Acharya and Sunny Patel of Johns Hopkins University. About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute to highl...

Can AI identify mosquito species? VectorCAM, a pocket-sized device, uses machine learning to differentiate species with 95% accuracy, enhancing malaria surveillance efforts Transcript Not all mosquitoes are created equal. Of the more than three thousand species, only a limited number of the Anopheles genus can transmit malaria. Even within that subset, subtle physiological differences affect how m...

For decades, insecticides have shielded us from malaria—but cracks are showing. Resistance is spreading, and environmental concerns are growing. Could a simple pouch of fruit juice with a powerful secret be the breakthrough we need? with George Dimopoulos of the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute About The Podcast The Johns Hopkins Malaria Minute is produced by the Johns Hopkins Malaria Rese...

One of the main ways of controlling malaria is to reduce mosquito populations through insecticides. But the mosquitoes are developing resistance, making most insecticides less effective. What if the answer lies beneath our feet? Transcript One of the main ways of controlling malaria is to reduce mosquito populations through insecticides. But the mosquitoes are developing resistance, making most in...