The session focused on how large-scale studies of genome variation in developing countries pose new scientific, ethical and practical challenges; yet offer an unprecedented opportunity to understand the complex genetic underpinnings of diseases like malaria.

Dominic Kwiatkowski gave overview of genomic epidemiology of malaria and its application within the MalariaGEN Programme. MalariaGEN Investigator Abdoulaye Djimde, who received a recent award for his outstanding contribution to research, presented research on the genomic epidemiology of the Plasmodium genome. MalariaGEN Data Fellows, Deus Ishengoma and Lucas Amenga-Etego then presented results from their analysis of their local datasets from Tanzania and Ghana.

The session ended with twelve one-minute presentations by members of the MalariaGEN Network. These ranged from presenting preliminary results from data analyses, to sharing experiences of obtaining informed consent and providing an overview of ethical issues and research capacity building activities. The presentations gave a great impression of the breadth and depth of experiences gained by MalariaGEN partners working across 15 malaria-endemic countries.