SCIENTISTS from the North-East have been given more than two million dollars to help in the fight against malaria.

The award to the team of four from Durham University's School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences is from the US National Institute of Health.

It recognises the important part already played in the battle against malaria by the Durham team and ensures it will be at the forefront of the struggle to eradicate the deadly disease.

Malaria control is an increasingly serious concern in Africa, where mosquitos have developed an immunity to the traditional insecticides.

Now, hopes are rising that new formulations of existing insecticides, which target the eggs of mosquitos, can reduce the toll of deaths and sickness.

Between one and two million African children succumb to malaria every year.

The Durham team members will spend much of their time in the villages of The Gambia, in West Africa, to monitor whether the new style insecticides really work.

The study aims the first to measure the impact of the new insecticide formulations, known as larvicides.

Disease ecologist Professor Steve Lindsay said: "These larvicides provide a promising new tool for malaria control and, if successful, will make a major contribution to our understanding of the benefits of larval control for malaria reduction in Africa.

The award of the research grant to Prof Lindsay and his team demonstrates the university's growing international reputation in biomedical sciences.

This Durham-led project is in collaboration with the UK Government's Medical Research Council's laboratories in The Gambia, Valent Biosciences in the US and the Gambian government's malaria control programme.