Michael Alifrangis

Primary fields of research

I am primarily interested in improving the treatment of malaria by antimalarial drugs and factors affecting the outcome. Furthermore, much emphasis of my research is on the use of molecular markers as tools to monitor and possibly hinder emergence and spread of drug resistance in the malaria endemic world.

Current research

Research in antimalarial drugs is currently based on testing:

• The efficiency of antimalarial drugs in treatment of various patient groups
• The availability and quality of antimalarial drugs in the malaria endemic world
• The molecular mapping of antimalarial drug resistance by genotyping malaria parasites from various malaria endemic areas

Furthermore, current research is as well by involvement in general studies of malaria epidemiology and trends of decreasing malaria in selected African countries. 

Teaching

Supervision of a number of technicians, Master students and PhD students

Some teaching and supervision at the Master of International Health program

Facilitator and lecturer at several methodological courses

Fields of interest

CV

Name: Michael Alifrangis

Current position:            Associate professor, Centre for Medical Parasitology (CMP), University of Copenhagen (UoC)

Past positions:

• 05/2005 – 11/2011  Assistant professor, CMP, UoC              

• 03/2003 – 05/2005  Post doc, CMP, UoC

• 08/2002 – 02/2003  Scientific research assistant, Rigshospitalet

• 05/1998 – 08/2002  PhD fellow, UoC

Academic qualifications:

• 08/2002, UoC. PhD. The use of molecular markers to monitor malaria drug resistance

• 06/1997, UoC. M.Sc. Biol. Detection of Plasmodium mixed infections

• 06/1991, Roskilde University Center. Basic module in Life Sciences         

Scientific qualifications:

• 20 years of research experience in molecular research of infectious diseases, mainly related to malaria and recently, bacterial infections

Serving on WHO Global Malaria Programme Expert Review Committees:

• 1. Monitoring SP resistance in the context of Intermittent Preventive Treatment in infants. 09/2009

• 2. WHO Expert Review Group meeting on Intermitted Preventive Treatment of malaria in pregnancy. 06/2013

• 2009-Present: Technical Advisor, Worldwide Antimalarial Resistance Network (WWARN), Molecular Module

Managerial skills:

10/2017-10/2021Building Stronger Universities III– Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College. Danish PI

01/2017-12/2020 IPTp with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine and azithromycin for malaria, sexually transmitted and reproductive tract infections in pregnancy in high sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance areas in Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. EU/EDCTP-funded project. Work package-leader

04/2016-03/2021 Malaria Research Capacity Development in West and Central Africa (MARCAD). Developing of Excellence in Leadership, Training and Science Africa Programme (DELTAS). WellcomeTrust (107741/A/15/Z). Consortium partner 

01/2013-12/2017          Whole Genome sequence based diagnostics and investigations. FFU. Project partner with KCMC. (DFC nr. 12-007DTU)

01/2010-12/2012 Qualitative and semi-quantitative baseline study in support of BORNEfonden's community-based health initiatives in the Selingue health district, Sikasso, Mali. Project partner

Experience from developing countries:

Involvement in research capacity building in developing countries

Involved in BsU I and BsU II (and currently BsU III) regarding capacity building of laboratory related issues at SUZA (Zanzibar), KNUST (Ghana) and KCMC (Tanzania), as part of BsU II programmes. In particular at KCMC; course facilitator (see below).

02/2017      Course in Research Methodology, MARCAD consortium, lecturer, Dakar, Senegal 

11/2016      BsU II course on Bioinformatics, lecturer, KCMC, Tanzania

03/2016      Workshop on Molecular markers of antimalarial drug resistance, course facilitator, Dakar, Senegal, funded by TDR, WHO

11/2015      BsU II course on Molecular diagnostics of dengue and chikungunya, course facilitator, KCMC

02/2012      BsU I course facilitator, Molecular diagnostics of non-malarial fevers, course facilitator, KCMC

09-12/2009 Tanga, Tanzania, 3 months of research capacity building, training of lab staff etc.

Supervision: PhD: 15 students (5 on-going, including 3 BsU- students).

List of key publications:

118 publications in international peer-reviewed journals.  Citation indices: 3281, h-index: 33, i10-index: 77