The molecular parasitology laboratory was founded by the late Professor McManus, and is now headed by Professor Malcolm Jones. The laboratory leads the world in parasitic worm research with the goal of global control of neglected tropical helminthiases. The group translates laboratory findings into effective disease interventions paving the way for improved health outcomes. Along with a multidisciplinary collaborative team, the laboratory pioneers research on the development/application of schistosomiasis vaccines, in diagnostics, genomics and in tropical/international health, contributing a cohesive and remarkable body of 650 publications in an extensive career. Many are transformational, shaping policy/practice leading to improved treatment/control of worm infections with wide-scale application for informing government agencies, including Australian, globally on intervention options in other parasite-endemic communities.
This cooperative research project involves scientists from Australia, Switzerland, Thailand, Lao PDR and Cambodia aiming to eliminate the major helminth parasites (intestinal worms and O. viverrini) in the Lower Mekong Basin countries. We will be trialling a novel multifaceted elimination program, including health education incorporating the Magic Glasses video, and we will use mathematical modelling and mapping techniques to predict impacts over time and for specific targeting of the interventions.
Internal Collaborators
External Collaborators
2023 – S. R. MacGregor, D. P. McManus, H. Sivakumaran, T. G. Egwang, M. Adriko, P. Cai, C. A. Gordon, M. G. Duke, J. D. French, N. Collinson, R. M. Olveda, H. Gunter, C. Graeff-Teixeira, M. K. Jones, H. You. Development of CRISPR/Cas13a-based assays for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis, eBioMedicine, 94
2023 – C. Lowe, Z. Ahmadabadi, D. J. Gray, M. Kelly, D. P. McManus, G. Williams. Systematic review of applied mathematical models for the control of Schistosoma japonicum, Acta Trop, 241
2023 – M. L. S. Mationg, G. M. Williams, V. L. Tallo, R. M, Olveda, E. Aung, P. Alday, M. D. Renosa, C. M. Daga, J. Landicho, M. P. Demonteverde, E. D. Santos, T. A. Brao, S. Bourke, S. L. Munira, F. A. Bieri, Y. S. Li, A. C. A. Clements, P. Steinmann, K. Halton, D. E. Stewart, D. P. McManus, D. J. Gray. Cost analysis for ‘The Magic Glasses Philippine” health education package to prevent intestinal worm infections among Filipino schoolchildren, The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific, 31
2023 – H. You, M. K. Jones, C. A. Gordon, A. E. Arganda, P. Cai, H. Al-Wassiti, C. W. Pouton, D. P. McManus. The mRNA vaccine technology era and the future control of parasitic infections, Clinical Microbiology Reviews, e00241-21
2023 – Y. Mu, D. P. McManus, C. A. Gordon, H. You, A. G. Ross, R. M. Olveda, P. Cai. Development and assessment of a novel gold immunochromatographic assay for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica, Frontiers in Immunology, 14
2022 – K. A. Alene, C. A. Gordon, A. C. A. Clements, G. M. Williams, D. J. Gray, X. Zhou, Y. Li, J. Utzinger, J. Kurscheid, S. Forsyth, J. Zhou, Z. Li, G. li, D. Lin, Z. Lou, S. Li, J. Ge, J. Xu, X. Yu, F. Hu, S. Xie, D. P. McManus. Spatial analysis of schistosomiasis in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces in the People’s Republic of China, Diseases, 10(4)
2022 – Y. Mu, C. A. Gordon, R. M. Olveda, A. G. Ross, D. U. Olveda, J. M. March, D. P. McManus, P. Cai. Identification of a linear B-cell epitope on the Schistosoma japonicum saposin protein, SjSAP4: Potential as a component of a multi-epitope diagnostic assay, PLoS NTDs, 16(7)