Alan Frederick Cowman AC, FRS,[4] FAA, CorrFRSE, FAAHMS, FASP, FASM (born 27 December 1954) is an internationally acclaimed malaria researcher[5] whose work specialises in researching the malaria-causing parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and the molecular mechanisms it uses to evade host responses and antimalarial drugs.
[3][8] He was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society in 2011 and awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia in 2019 for his "eminent service to the biological sciences, notably to molecular parasitology, to medical research and scientific education, and as a mentor.
[14] He made significant advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms which the malaria parasites use to take over human cells,[15][16] and how they evade the body's natural defenses.
He found that once malaria parasites take over human red blood cells, and remodels them so they can reproduce without triggering the patient's immune system.
[1][18] Australia Society for Parasitology Australian Society for Microbiology Australian Academy of Science The Royal Society (United Kingdom) Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) 2010–14 president, World Federation of Parasitologists 2010, 2015, 2020 member, quinquennial review committee, Welcome Sanger Institute, Cambridge, UK 2013 chair, 'Target identification for malaria drug discovery' Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation 2013- 2013-2022 member, appointments and promotion committee QIMR Berghofer, Queensland, Australia 2014 fellow appointment panel, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Washington, USA 2015 Malaria Eradication Scientific Alliance, chair of working group, Boston, USA