Following extensive discussions between the Wellcome Sanger Institute, the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM), our governance committee, and key funders including the Gates Foundation, we have moved our administrative and scientific support functions from the Sanger Institute to LSTM.
This transition marks an important step in the evolution of our network. Since our founding in 2005, MalariaGEN has been dedicated to improving malaria control through equitable data sharing. That mission remains unchanged. What is changing is where our administrative home sits—and why.
Why LSTM?
LSTM is the world’s oldest institution dedicated to tropical health and has deep expertise in supporting global health communities like ours. The move allows the MalariaGEN community to work closer with LSTM’s malaria research and training infrastructure.
Why now?
The needs of our network have evolved. Thanks to rapid growth in sequencing capabilities in malaria-endemic countries—accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic—we are moving from a centralised model to a multi-hub network. Labs in endemic regions can now generate and process data locally, or generate that data commercially, contributing directly to shared resources. This makes the network more resilient and responsive to local needs, which is ultimately good for malaria control and elimination.
Community Voices
Dr Chris Clarkson, MalariaGEN at LSTM: “Moving MalariaGEN’s UK base was something that we thought very hard about. We wanted to ensure that our partners and the community were in a stronger position, while improving the sustainability and resilience around our data resources, tools and training. We are confident that making LSTM our new home is a powerful step forward, embedding within LSTM will enable even stronger partnerships, this is essential to meet our commitment to a more equitable, distributed, and resilient MalariaGEN.”
Dr. Vikki Simpson, MalariaGEN at LSTM: “The Sanger Institute has been our home for administrative functions since 2021, and before that the University of Oxford. But as we evolve into a multi-hub network, LSTM’s long-standing focus on tropical health and equitable partnerships provides exactly the right environment to support us as we grow.”
Professor Martin Donnelly, Professor at LSTM: “We are pleased to welcome MalariaGEN to LSTM. We are excited by the opportunity to help MalariaGEN evolve into a dispersed network which delivers world-leading genomic resources, has a translational impact on malaria surveillance and control, and supports the next generation of malaria control and research staff.”
Professor Abdoulaye Djimde, President of Pathogens Genomic Diversity Network Africa: "The transition of MalariaGEN to LSTM represents an important and strategic moment for our global collaboration. I am greatly encouraged by this development, which I believe will further strengthen our scientific partnerships and enhance our collective capacity to generate impactful genomic insights for malaria-endemic communities."
What stays the same?
Our commitment to building and maintaining accessible data resources for malaria control remains as strong as ever. MalariaGEN will continue to deliver on existing grant commitments and contracts. The data resources, policies and governance are not changing.
What’s next?
Over the coming months, we’ll finalise the completion of the transition of our administrative home to LSTM. We’re excited about the future and confident this change will strengthen our ability to serve the global malaria research community.
We will reach out directly to individuals who are affected by any changes, however, if you have questions about what this move means for you or the samples and data you’ve contributed, please reach out to support@malariagen.net.
