WRAIR and ASTMH: 2nd Annual Alan Magill Malaria Forum

Posted 15 June 2017

Seated from left, Rabinovich, Ockenhouse, Cui, Miller and Rathod
On June 9, the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research held its Second Annual Malaria Forum in tribute to the late Alan Magill (Col., Ret.). In partnership with ASTMH, this annual event focused on malaria elimination and highlighted the themes of Discovery and Mentorship, two of Alan's passions.

Opening remarks were provided by Lt. Col Norm Waters,* PhD, WRAIR Military Malaria Research Program. The keynote speaker was Pradip Rathod,* PhD, professor of chemistry and adjunct professor of global health at the University of Washington, Director, NIH International Center of Excellence for Malaria Research for South Asia, who presented, “Global Malaria Eradication: Minding the Unknowns in South Asia.”

Additionally, a discussion facilitated by Regina Rabinovich,* MD, MPH, ASMTH President-Elect, featured panelists
  • Christian Ockenhouse,* MD, PhD, MS, Malaria Vaccine Initiative
  • R. Scott Miller,* MD, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • Liwang Cui,* PhD, Pennsylvania State University, Department of Entomology
  • Dr. Rathod*
During the forum, Drs. Rabinovich, Ockenhouse, Miller, Cui and Rathod, and ASTMH Executive Director Karen A. Goraleski* were presented with the Malaria Coin and the Experimental Therapeutics Branch Coin (photos right, top and bottom). 

The Malaria Coin honors individuals whose achievements or terms of service have advanced the U.S. Army Malaria Vaccine Mission. The coin is awarded by the Director of the Division of Malaria Vaccine Development at WRAIR. A signed, bound volume constitutes a permanent records of the nominees.
 
The Experimental Therapeutics Branch Coin was created in Spring and awarded for the first time to this group. The hexagonal coin has on its front face flanking the WRAIR logo, the name of the Branch and the phrase "Drug Development Since 1961," the year when the Branch was officially designated Experimental Therapeutics. Around the triazine ring are the tenets of WRAIR’s mission and vision: "Product-driven Science," "Bench-to-Bedside" and "For the Warfighter."

Alan J. Magill, MD, FASTMH, was the 2014 President of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) who died unexpectedly on September 19, 2015. Alan served with distinction in all areas of his life including 26 years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps as a leader in infectious diseases research at WRAIR.

Read more about Alan, his contributions and his impact here

* ASTMH members
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