In the scope of World Malaria Day, and aligned with the 2026 theme, “Driven to end malaria: Now we can. Now we must”, researchers at GHTM | Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (IHMT NOVA) continue to contribute to the development of innovative and sustainable solutions to address emerging global malaria challenges.
According to the latest estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO), malaria still causes more than 260 million cases and over 600,000 deaths worldwide each year, with sub-Saharan Africa remaining the most affected region. The increasing resistance to insecticides and antimalarial drugs, together with the geographical expansion of mosquito vectors into new regions — including Europe — reinforces the urgent need for new vector control approaches.
Among the researchers contributing to this effort is Joana Marques, researcher form VBD-GHTM Research Group, who has been involved in exploring innovative strategies that may help overcome current limitations in malaria prevention and vector control.
One of these promising innovations is the Bloodless diet, a technology designed to replace mosquito blood feeding while enabling the study and modulation of biological processes essential for mosquito reproduction and pathogen transmission. By eliminating the need for blood meals in laboratory settings, this approach creates new opportunities to better understand mosquito biology and develop more ethical, scalable, and sustainable vector control methods.
Beyond its research applications, the Bloodless technology may contribute to reducing the transmission potential of malaria vectors and support the development of alternative strategies capable of responding to the increasing spread of mosquito-borne diseases worldwide.
The work developed by Joana Marques and the VBD-GHTM team reflects the importance of innovation and interdisciplinary research in advancing global malaria control efforts, fully aligned with the objectives of this year’s World Malaria Day campaign.
This article is published as part of the World Malaria Day 2026 celebrations. To learn more about our work on malaria, see our related news:
GHTM marks World Malaria Day 2026, highlighting research innovation in the fight to end malaria
World Malaria Day 2026: Ana Paula Arez Discusses Global Malaria Challenges on RTP África
World Malaria Day 2026: Advancing Innovation for Faster and More Accessible Malaria Diagnosis
