Since 1998, my research has primarily focused on clinical and molecular studies of malaria with a focus on antimalarial drug therapy. Our research group has completed over two dozen clinical trials involving over 10,000 patients, 9 different treatment regimens, and 9 sites in Uganda and Burkina Faso. In addition our collaborations have completed numerous molecular biology studies involving the genotyping of malaria parasites and evaluating the role of molecular markers of drug resistance in clinical response to therapy. These studies have been influential in the rapidly changing approach to antimalarial therapy within Uganda and around Africa. Complementary projects, frequently undertaking by American and African trainees, have involved studies of asymptomatic parasitemia; malaria related knowledge, attitudes and practices; studies of severe malaria; reviews on malaria treatment policy; predictors of response to antimalarial therapy; malaria in pregnancy, malaria surveillance, the impact of malaria control interventions, and the role of host polymorphisms in malaria incidence and response to therapy.

One of my major areas of interest has been interactions between HIV and malaria in African children. These studies have involved malaria preventative strategies in HIV infected children, cross-sectional studies of HIV/malaria co-infection, response to antimalarial therapy in HIV infected children, and HIV testing in patients diagnosed with malaria. In 2009, we began a large program project funded by the NIH involving three randomized clinical trials evaluating novel strategies for the prevention of malaria in HIV-infected pregnant women and HIV-infected and uninfected children. In 2013, this program project was renewed to support future studies on the use of chemotherapy for the prevention of malaria in pregnant women and the children born to them. We have also expanded our chemoprevention studies to include investigation of naturally acquired antimalarial immunity.

I have also become involved in a number of public health and operations research projects in Uganda, primarily funded through the new President’s Malaria Initiative. These projects involve establishing comprehensive malaria surveillance systems and integrating training and diagnostic programs to improve malaria case management. In 2010, we were awarded one of ten “International Centers of Excellence in Malaria Research” program project grants from the NIH to improve our understanding of the epidemiology of malaria throughout Uganda. This project called "PRISM" was recently refunded from 2017-2024.