Advances in Plasmodium Vivax Malaria Research

描述(申请人提供)：间日疟原虫是分布最广的疟疾寄生虫。越来越多的证据表明，间日疟原虫在全球疾病中占很大比例，拉丁美洲和亚洲有一半的疟疾病例是由间日疟原虫引起的。尽管最近人们认识到间日疟原虫的总体负担、经济影响和严重程度被低估了，但这一物种在科学文献和论坛中的代表性仍然不足。为了满足这一未得到满足的需求，纽约科学院、“La Caxia”基金会和国际科学辩论中心将于2013年6月5日至7日在西班牙巴塞罗那的CosmoCaixa科学博物馆联合举办为期2.5天的科学会议--间日疟研究进展。会议的主要目标是：(1)为间日疟原虫研究人员之间交流新的科学知识和专门知识提供一个中立的论坛；(2)促进互补研究小组和实施小组之间的合作，以加强和利用知识和技术专长，并防止实验重复；(3)通过简短的演讲、海报会议、旅行奖学金和职业指导，展示职业生涯早期和代表性不足的研究人员(即妇女、少数民族/种族少数群体和残疾人)在间日疟原虫研究中的情况；(4)传播会议记录；以及(V)促进学术界、临床医生、政府和监管机构之间的伙伴关系，通过讨论和设计现有和未来的战略，促进全球迫切需要控制和根除疟疾。这次会议预计将吸引来自美国和欧洲以及间日疟原虫流行的拉丁美洲和亚洲国家的约150名国际与会者。会议将探讨间日疟原虫的分子生物学和基因组学、宿主与寄生虫的相互作用、克服间日疟原虫体外、体内和临床研究障碍的新研究技术(组学)；耐药性和药物发现；以及在间日疟原虫预防、治疗和控制方面的最新临床试验和现场努力。在主题上，会议的目标与NIAID的使命很好地一致，即找到控制并最终消除疟疾的有效方法。大多数危及生命的间日疟原虫感染发生在五岁以下的儿童中，这与《儿童权利公约》确保儿童能够过上健康、富有成效和无疾病生活的迫切需要是一致的。讲座、互动讨论、网络休息和会议招待会将为国际社会的互动提供一个中立的论坛，否则他们可能不会在单一的科学会议上定期互动，确保间日疟原虫生物学和公共卫生战略的最新进展在那些处于间日疟原虫研究前沿的人中传播。通过开放获取的在线多媒体报告和额外的印刷出版物传播会议产生的知识，最终将促进这种被忽视的寄生虫的诊断、预防和治疗方面的进步。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed malaria parasite. There has been growing evidence that P. vivax is responsible for a significant proportion of global disease, and half of all malaria cases in Latin America and Asia. Despite recent recognition that the overall burden, economic impact, and severity of P. vivax disease have been underestimated, this species remains underrepresented in the scientific literature and fora. To address this unmet need, the New York Academy of Sciences, "la Caxia" Foundation, and International Center for Scientific Debate will jointly present a 2.5-day scientifi conference, Advances in Plasmodium Vivax Malaria Research, to be held at the CosmoCaixa science museum in Barcelona, Spain on June 5-7, 2013. The main objectives of the conference are to: (i) Provide a neutral forum for exchange of novel scientific knowledge and expertise among P. vivax investigators; (ii) Foster collaborations between complementary research groups and implementation teams, to enhance and leverage knowledge and technical expertise, and to prevent experimental redundancy; (iii) Showcase early career and underrepresented investigators (i.e. women, ethnic/racial minorities, and persons with disabilities) in P. vivax research via short talks, poster sessions, travel fellowships, and career mentoring; (iv) Disseminate the conference proceedings; and (v) Foster partnerships among academia, clinicians, government and regulatory agencies, to promote the global imperative of malaria control and eradication through the discussion and design of existing and future strategies. The conference is anticipated to attract approximately 150 international attendees from the United States and Europe, as well as Latin American and Asian countries in which P. vivax is endemic. Sessions will explore P. vivax molecular biology and genomics, host-parasite interactions, novel research techniques ('omics) to overcome barriers to in vitro, in vivo, and clinical study of P. vivax; drug resistance and drug discovery; and recent clinical trial and in-field efforts in P. vivx prevention, treatment, and control. Thematically, the conference goals align well with the NIAID's mission to find effective means by which to control and ultimately eliminate malaria. The majority of life-threatening P. vivax infections occur in children under the age of five years, consistent with the imperative of the NICHD to ensure the ability of children to live healthy, productive, disease-free lives. Lectures, interactive discussions, networking breaks, and a conference reception will provide a neutral forum for interaction of an international community who may not otherwise regularly interact at a single scientific meeting, ensuring that recent advances in P. vivax biology and public health strategies are disseminated among those at the forefront of vivax research. The dissemination of knowledge originating from the conference via an open-access, online multimedia report and additional print publication will ultimately foster advancement in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of this neglected parasite.