Malaria
Malaria is a deadly disease which kills over half a million children under the age of five every year. The University of Oxford will be showing students how molecular biology is being used to control the mosquitos which spread the disease. In preparation for a visit to this stand at the Big Bang, these resources can help students to understand the life cycle of the malaria parasite, how the disease is transmitted and the complex issues which surround the battle against it.
Malaria: An Introduction
This short film provides students with a clear introduction to the topic of malaria, including an excellent animation of the life cycle of the parasite.
Suitable for Key Stage Four, it describes what malaria is, why it is a complex disease, where malaria is a problem and who is most vulnerable. It also describes the symptoms of the disease, how to treat it and how to prevent transmission. Drug resistance and why this is a constant challenge to the eradication of malaria are explained, with an insight into how current research is developing new solutions to tackling the disease.
Malaria
This a comprehensive set of resources aimed at higher ability KS4 and post 16 students. It includes:
• An excellent interactive animation with details of the parasite's life cycle
• Video clips of interviews with experts working in malaria research and treatment
• Activities where students need to make decisions on strategies to manage malaria in regions where it is endemic
• Information on the funding of malaria research.
A Vaccine for Malaria?
This is a good article for GCSE students and covers vaccines, antibodies, pathogens, human clinical trials, genetic engineering. There is also a clear diagram of the life cycle of the parasite.
The War Against Malaria
There is a useful set of slides which can be used to introduce a lesson on the ethical problems that surround health policy and drug development, including the use of animals in medical research. The character cards provide view points to aid group discussion.
Artemisia Crops to Treat Malaria
This factsheet looks at the challenges of growing the crop Artemisia annua in the UK. The plant produces a compound, artemisinin which is a complex metabolite that cannot be synthesised readily in the laboratory.
Artemisinin is an antimalarial drug and can be used where malaria parasites that have become resistant to the more traditional quinine-derived medicines.
University of Oxford - Malaria Atlas Project
A look at the type of research being carried out at Oxford University in the battle against Malaria, this website is useful for real life examples of current research.
Malaria Fact Sheet - WHO
To build subject knowledge before teaching this topic, this website explains the cause of malaria, transmission, symptoms, population risk groups, diagnosis, treatment, antimalarial drug resistance, prevention, elimination and vaccination. There are also some good related links to information on vaccination research.