• PNGIMR 40th Anniversary a Success
• Introducing the EID project
• PNG SDP donates K20,000 to PNGIMR for its 40th Anniversary & Colloquium celebrations
• National Health policy to be put in place - Zibe
• Governor General Congratulates PNGIMR
• Medical and social scientists say PNG has highest rate of HIV/AIDS
• PNGIMR receives approx K8million research grant from AusAID
• HINARI training a success
• IMR donates gastroendoscope to Goroka Hospital
• PNG Medical Journal Assistant Editor attends meeting in Korea
• PNGIMR Madang Social club promotes community relations
• VBDRU Administration Managers change of office
• New Staff
• Taime congratulates 40th Anniversary celebrations organizing team

By Daphne Sepe

The Ecology of Infectious Diseases (EID) Project is a new project that began this year (2008) and will be conducted in parallel with other ongoing projects between the Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research (PNGIMR) and the Center for Global Health and Diseases at Case Western Reserve University (CWRU).

These projects include the Filariasis ICIDR (International Centers of Infectious Disease Research, US NIH), IPTi (Intermittent Preventive Treatment of malaria in infants, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), and the PNG Department of Health Bednet Distribution Programs.

The EID research project is titled, ‘Changing Dynamics of Anopheline Transmission of Malaria and Filariasis in Papua New Guinea’ and seeks to understand how mosquito control programs will alter local Anopheline mosquito ecology, vector distribution, and ultimately, transmission of Wuchereria bancroftii and Plasmodium species.

The study will evaluate the impact of control programs and provide in depth analysis of mosquito infection and ecological settings as well as provide support for transmission modeling and essential graduate training.

The study will cover residents of previously studied villages in the Wosera and Drekikir regions of the East Sepik Province.

The Principal Investigators of this EID project are Dr Peter Zimmerman and Dr Charles King. Co-Investigators from the Center for Global Health & Diseases/CWRU include Dr James Kazura, Dr Moses Bockarie and Dr Daniel Tisch. Co-Investigators from PNGIMR include Professor Peter Siba, Dr Ivo Mueller and Dr Pascal Michon.

Graduate Scientific Officers that will be working within the project will include Ms Daphne Sepe, Ms Melinda Susapu and Mr Steven Paniu.