MAGNETS

The challenge

After many years of progress, the battle against malaria has stalled in recent years. More than 250 million people are affected each year, with 600,000 deaths due to malaria, most of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

Advances in malaria genomics and data science are creating unprecedented opportunities to improve surveillance, monitor parasite evolution, detect drug and insecticide resistance, assess diagnostic performance, and better understand malaria transmission dynamics. These advances are generating increasingly complex datasets that demand specialised analytical skills to translate them into evidence.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, there remains a critical shortage of professionals trained at the interface of genomics, epidemiology and biostatistics. Building long-lasting local expertise is essential to ensure that genomic data can effectively strengthen malaria control strategies.

The project

The MAGNETS project is building additional expertise to apply genomic intelligence to malaria surveillance, strengthening regional capacity to utilise genomic data to enhance malaria control. The project brings together six partner institutions: Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhça (Mozambique), the Armauer Hansen Research Institute (Ethiopia), the Infectious Disease Research Collaboration (Uganda), the Wits Health Consortium (South Africa), ISGlobal (Spain), and the University of California San Francisco (USA).

It will support 10 early to mid-career researchers to complete a master’s programme in epidemiology or biostatistics, alongside a dedicated MAGNETS training in malaria genomics. This training will focus on translating genomic and epidemiological information into actionable strategies for enhancing disease control and reducing the malaria burden in communities. Fellows will be able to conduct their master’s research projects in Ethiopia, Mozambique, South Africa or Uganda.

Fellows will undertake a project on a topic relevant to the activities of national malaria control programmes. These projects will be based on ongoing research studies or public health activities, with fellows analysing rich real-world datasets during training.

MAGNETS training will incorporate cohort activities and structured mentorship to complement fellows’ master’s studies. The curriculum will be designed based on the competencies required of fellows, combining these activities, guided work on individual research projects and development of oral and written communication skills. Group activities will include workshops, online seminars and a data analysis ‘bootcamp’. Fellows will receive structured, personalised training and mentorship, based on an individual development plan.

Impact

The MAGNETS project will play a major part in building sustainable genomic surveillance capacity for malaria. It will:

• Equip a new generation of scientists to translate genomic data into malaria policy and control decisions.
• Build a network of research institutions and national health authorities working together to advance genomic epidemiology for malaria control.
• Generate new insights into malaria transmission and resistance, enhancing regional understanding of the disease and strengthening the evidence base for control efforts.

By strengthening local expertise rather than relying solely on external technical support, MAGNETS will help ensure that advances in malaria genomics are translated into sustainable public health capacity across sub-Saharan Africa.