Although Malaria Research Centre (MRC) and the FMHS are closely related and a number of research projects in MRC are conducted by lecturers in FMHS, due to its research prominence, MRC has been established as one of the centres of excellence by the university back in January 2006.

 

The research activities undertaken at the MRC utilise molecular tools to study in detail the epidemiology, clinical features and population genetics of malaria parasites, particularly in the Malaysian Borneo region. A landmark discovery by scientists working at the MRC was of a large focus in Sarawak of human infections with Plasmodium knowlesi, a parasite normally found in long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques. The MRC research team subsequently made several other key discoveries which have highlighted knowlesi malaria as a significant, life-threatening zoonotic disease that is prevalent throughout Southeast Asia. This work, that a highly pathogenic malaria parasite from monkeys is infecting humans and is now recognized as the fifth cause of malaria in humans, has radically changed our understanding of malaria. To learn more about malaria research activities in MRC, visit its website at www.mrc.unimas.my