Arjen Dondorp

Adrianus Mattheus Dondorp (born September 1963) is a Dutch intensivist, infectious diseases physician, and head of the Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit in Bangkok. He is best known for his research in severe falciparum malaria, a disease that requires intensive care in hospital. He chairs the World Health Organization Technical Expert Group on antimalarial medication drug resistance and containment.

Early life and education Born in Utrecht, The Netherlands, Dondorp studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam between 1982 and 1986, achieving a 'doctoral' in medicine, 'with distinction'. This research included clinical analyses completed in Thailand (1995-1996) and Kenya (1997-1998).

Background and research Dondorp's foremost research interests have focused attention on the pathophysiology and treatment of severe malaria, antimalarial drug resistance and development of intensive care practice in low income countries.

"The main reason you become so ill from severe malaria is that the red blood cells harbouring the parasite become very sticky and adhere to the walls of the smallest blood vessels in all the vital organs, such as the brain, kidney and lung vasculature. This blocks normal circulation and can be fatal." - Dondorp They lose their flexibility to pass through blood vessels that are smaller in diameter than the red cells. This rigidity impairs blood flow through the small blood vessels. Dondorp's team demonstrated this impairment of microcirculatory flow due to red cell rigidity in severe malaria.

A strong prognostic significance was also found to be the amount of plasma PfHRP2, a protein released by the sequestrated parasite. This protein contributes to the metabolic acidosis seen in people with severe malaria. His team, however, demonstrated resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to artemisinins in Western Cambodia. New treatments would have to be found to contain efforts against this serious threat to global malaria control.

The World Health Organization Artesunate is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in preference to quinidine for the treatment of severe malaria and has been used worldwide for many years. Artesunate is in the class of medications known as artemisinins, which are derivatives from sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua).

Dondorp chairs the WHO Technical Expert Group on Antimalarial Drug Resistance. The group provides advice to the World Health Organization and supports the design and implementation of programmes related to the containment of artemisinin resistance.