Associate Professor Davis R. Mumbengegwi

Country: Namibia

Institution: University of Namibia

Research Areas: Malaria operational research, molecular and serological surveillance, cross-border malaria transmission, molecular diagnostics, parasite drug resistance, parasite genetic transmission networks, epidemiology, vector bionomics, vector insecticide resistance, case management in pre-elimination settings.

Lab Website: www.unam.edu.na/mrc

We partner with the National Malaria program conducting malaria operational research to support malaria elimination in Namibia. Research activities include malaria surveillance both proactive and reactive using PCR and serology; evaluation of novel diagnostic tools for diagnosis of sub-patent and asymptomatic malaria cases using molecular and serological techniques. We investigate risk factors for malaria transmission during pre-elimination, including using Plasmodium genetics to determine transmission networks, malaria importation and population movement. Our research also includes molecular analysis of parasite and mosquitoes for speciation and drug resistance markers. Lastly we are interested in malaria case management in pre-elimination settings, identifying at risk populations and evaluating diagnosis and treatment strategies for these populations including reactive case detection and focal Mass Drug Administration.