Tharkeshi Thanuja Dharmaratne

Quantification of the dynamics of antibody response to malaria in pregnant women

Principal Supervisor’s name: Prof Julie A. Simpson
Co-supervisors’ names: A/Prof Freya Fowkes, Dr Sophie Zaloumis, Dr Saber Dini, Dr David Price

Malaria remains to be a major public health threat with pregnant women and young children the most vulnerable populations.  Immunity to malaria can significantly reduce the severity of malaria symptoms, however, antibody responses vary greatly within- and between-individuals residing in malaria endemic regions. This PhD project developed statistical approaches to characterise the highly dynamic profiles of the antibody responses, and in turn, identify the key features that best classifies these antibody trajectories. For this purpose, longitudinal antibody data from two studies were analysed: (i) pregnant women from the Thai-Myanmar border and (ii) participants from four countries in South East Asia enrolled in a cluster randomized controlled trial of mass drug administration. Optimal sampling times for quantifying the decline in antibody levels, were also be determined for future studies assessing population level interventions.

PhD scholarship title and funding body:  Melbourne Research Scholarship [The University of Melbourne]

Thesis -  https://minerva-access.unimelb.edu.au/handle/11343/245492