MaRS (Malaria Resistance Surveillance) Project
Background
The emergence of resistance to all currently available antimalarial drugs in multiple regions of the world represents a current global public health challenge. In order to monitor and address this situation, faster and more effective surveillance tools are required to track and monitor the emergence and evolution of drug resistance in malaria. The Malaria Resistance Surveillance (MaRS) project aims to address this challenge by collating and mapping genetic polymorphisms associated with drug resistance in malaria around the world.
Data for this project is generated using a targeted amplicon deep sequencing (TADS) approach in an effort to collect single nucleotide polymorphisms on all currently known drug resistant associated malaria genes from travelers returning to the US from overseas, as well as samples actively collected in collaboration with partners from other countries.
Lab Protocol
Please see Lab Protocol for the most up to date standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Data Analysis
The NeST analysis framework was developed for the MaRS project, to standardize the workflow for the identification of both known and new polymorphisms in P. falciparum genes associated with anti-malarial drug resistance.
Data Sharing
Data for this project can be found at the following link NCBI BioProject. Collaborators are encouraged to submit their own data using this NCBI BioProject
Citing MaRS
If you end up using any of the MaRS project workflows, please cite this study:
Next-Generation Sequencing and Bioinformatics Protocol for Malaria Drug Resistance Marker Surveillance.
Talundzic E, Ravishankar S, Kelley J, Patel D, Plucinski M, Schmedes S, Ljolje D, Clemons B,
Madison-Antenucci S, Arguin PM, Lucchi NW, Vannberg F, Udhayakumar V.
Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2018 Mar 27;62(4). pii: e02474-17. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02474-17. Print 2018 Apr.