Researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have launched groundbreaking research into the spread of drug-resistant malaria in Burma, reports MedicalXpress.com. Working as part of a large international team coordinated by the World Health Organization, the scientists identified several promising genetic markers that could be used to develop tests to identify and track the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria. Using funding provided through two new National Institutes of Health awards, the researchers will also train local investigators in cutting-edge molecular and pharmacology lab practices to help stem the spread of the disease.