DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Zambia. With support from international donors, including the US Presidents Malaria Initiative (PMI), empirically-proven effective interventions are being scaled-up across Zambia. However, for malaria control efforts to be sustainable in Zambia, with the long-term goal of malaria elimination, a cadre of well-trained Zambian scientists will be needed to conduct malaria research that contributes to successful implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of scale-up efforts. Particularly, there is a need to increase local capacity in the areas of biomedical, behavioral, health services and entomological research for ensuring interventions are having intended effects. The focus of this proposal is to plan a five year program for providing integrated research training to Zambian scientists and health professionals in malaria control research. The following specific aims will allow us to successfully plan for such an integrated and sustainable malaria training program in Zambia in support of PMI: 1) Perform a comprehensive needs assessment to identify gaps in knowledge, expertise and training in best-practices in implementation and M&E of current malaria control activities in Zambia; 2) Design an interactive and hands-on research training program for health professionals working in malaria control in Zambia; and 2) Identify and support the necessary capacity development in administrative, financial management and research training needed to undertake a sustainable comprehensive research training program in collaboration with the University of Zambia. We anticipate that a successful research and training program will serve to guide decision-makers in their development and implementation of cost-effective malaria control programs in Zambia. Tailoring a sustainable program using appropriate technology and a framework of collaboration in support of PMI activities will greatly increase the likelihood of controlling, and perhaps eventually eliminating, malaria in Zambia. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: A successful research and training program will serve to guide decision-makers in their development and implementation of cost-effective malaria control programs in Zambia. Tailoring a sustainable program using appropriate technology and a framework of collaboration in support of PMI activities will greatly increase the likelihood of controlling, and perhaps eventually eliminating, malaria in Zambia.