Enlistment of omics technologies in the fight against malaria: Panacea or Pandora's Box?

Abstract

Plasmodium spp, the causative agent of malaria, imposes an enormous cost on the developing world. Current methods are inadequate for long-term management and eradication, and new treatments are desperately needed. The modern arsenal of “omics” technologies appears to offer a promising approach to engineering a long-term solution to malaria. However, because funding for malaria research is chronically limited, the potential results of omics methodologies must be examined to address whether the investment is justified. This review provides an overview of a suite of omics-related technologies in terms of their potential contribution to the field of malaria research.