Malaria is currently responsible for about 500,000 deaths per year and is especially fatal to children under the age of 5 years.  Two global eradication programs since 1950 have reduced the malaria burden significantly, however, progress has stalled in recent years.  In her first talk, Dr. Maria Mota details the lifecycle of two malaria parasites, Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax. The complex, multistage lifecycle makes it hard to diagnose and treat malaria. Mota explains that many attempts have been made to treat the disease with drugs but the malaria parasite very rapidly develops resistance.  She describes how the recent development of drug combinations and a new vaccine, together with insecticide treated bed nets and improved early diagnosis, provide hope for better prevention and treatment of malaria in the future.