Harnessing genomics to address emerging challenges in Malaria research and control

Malaria remains one of the world's most significant infectious diseases, with progress toward elimination increasingly threatened by the emergence of insecticide-resistant mosquito vectors, antimalarial drug-resistant parasites, diagnostic escape variants, and changing transmission dynamics. Recent advances in genomics, functional genomics, high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics, and computational biology have revolutionized our ability to investigate the genetic and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these challenges. These technologies are providing unprecedented insights into parasite and vector population structure, host-pathogen interactions, transmission networks, resistance evolution, vaccine target diversity, and epidemiological trends. At the same time, genomic surveillance is becoming an essential component of malaria control and elimination programs, supporting evidence-based decision-making and the development of innovative interventions. Harnessing these advances offers new opportunities to strengthen malaria research, improve public health responses, and accelerate progress toward sustainable malaria control and elimination.This Research Topic aims to showcase how genomic and post-genomic approaches are transforming malaria research and providing innovative solutions to emerging challenges that threaten malaria control and elimination efforts. Despite substantial progress over recent decades, the effectiveness of current interventions is increasingly undermined by the spread of insecticide resistance escalation (super-resistance) in mosquito vectors, antimalarial drug resistance in parasites, diagnostic escape variants, and genetic diversity that may affect vaccine efficacy. In addition, significant gaps remain in our understanding of parasite-vector-host interactions, transmission dynamics, and the evolutionary processes driving adaptation in both parasites and vectors.We seek to bring together multidisciplinary studies that leverage genomics, transcriptomics, functional genomics, bioinformatics, computational biology, and genomic surveillance to address these challenges. Contributions may include original research, systematic reviews and meta-analysis, methodological advances that improve our understanding of malaria biology, identify novel resistance mechanisms, enhance surveillance systems, support the development of diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, and inform evidence-based malaria control strategies. Ultimately, this research topic aims to foster scientific innovation and strengthen the integration of omics data into malaria research, policy, and public health practice.This Research Topic welcomes contributions that explore the application of genomics, transcriptomics, functional genomics, bioinformatics, and computational approaches to address current and emerging challenges in malaria research and control. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: parasite and vector population genomics and transcriptomics; genomic surveillance of antimalarial drug and insecticide resistance; functional characterization of resistance mechanisms; host-parasite-vector interactions; transmission dynamics and evolutionary genomics; diagnostic resistance and genomic determinants of diagnostic performance; vaccine target diversity and immune evasion; microbiome and symbiont genomics; multi-omics approaches; genomic epidemiology; and the integration of genomic data into malaria control and elimination programs.We encourage the submission of Original research articles, Systematic reviews and/or Meta-analysis, Methods papers, Editorial, Case reports, Case series, Data Reports, and Opinion articles that advance knowledge and promote innovative applications of genomics in malaria research and public health. Topic editors: Mahamat Gadji, Carlos S. Djoko Tagne, Anastasia Hernandez Koutoucheva, Francis Nkemngo, PhD, Nelly Manuela Tchatchoua Tatchou Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82364/harnessing-genomics-to-address-emerging-challenges-in-malaria-research-and-control