The University of Pretoria (UP) has established itself in South Africa as a leading research-intensive institution. Various niche research focus areas are doing breakthrough research and, at the same time, the needs of the country and the continent have our attention.

The University of Pretoria Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control (UP ISMC) was established to promote collaborative research within the university on safer and sustainable malaria control and management. It is a multi- and transdisciplinary, interdepartmental and interfaculty platform linking and consolidating existing research expertise on malaria control. Researchers, their postgraduate students and postdcotoral fellows from all nine of the university's faculties are involved in the UP ISMC.

The elimination of malaria and the promotion of health are the focus of the research programmes of the departments involved. Since the research groups within the various UP faculties have a similar aim in combating malaria with no health risk for humans, it was strategic to combine all research conducted in this field in a research institute. At the same time we were able to create new opportunities for postgraduate students and advise policy makers on this issue. Sustainable Malaria Control is also one of UP’s faculty research themes.

Strong links exist between the UP ISMC and its national and international partners and collaborators. Our work with government is bringing us closer to the goal of eliminating malaria by 2023.  The different research clusters focus on human health, parasite and vector control, which present several opportunities for postgraduate research.  Research varies from molecular approaches to transmission blocking and drug development to new and novel approaches to vector control, modelling and health promotion. The group’s 2012 Malaria Journal research paper, "Sustainable malaria control: transdisciplinary approaches for translational applications", explains the unique approach of the UP ISMC towards malaria control.

The UP ISMC is the proud host of the SARChI Research Chair in Sustainable Malaria Control and Community of Practice in Malaria Elimination. The UP ISMC is also a MRC collaborating centre for malaria research. To get the status of an MRC collaborating centre is not only recognition at the highest national level, but is also giving credibility to the researchers, and opening up international opportunities. The Institute is the academic partner to Goodbye Malaria, advising on malaria challenges as needed.

Prof. C (Tiaan) de Jager
Director: UP ISMC