My main research interests are in the study of tropical parasitic diseases particularly schisosomiasis and malaria under African conditions. With schistosomiasis, I am currently involved in assessing the importance of bladder cancer associated with infection of the urinary schistosome (S.haematobium). Bladder cancer associated with the parasite is different from bladder cancer seen in non endemic areas. It is squamous cell carcinoma and we hope to investigate the etiological processed involved and to see why there is this difference between parasite derived disease and the common form of bladder cancer. These studies are under way in Ghana and we hope to extend them to Zambia where a genetically different strain of the parasite occurs. It is important to see if there are differences in the pathogenicity of these two forms of S. haematobium. There is no animal model presently available, so the work must be done in endemic areas. I am also interested in studying the population structure of communities of schistosomes living in people from endemic areas. This enables the study of gene flow between populations of parasites, and the understanding of mechanisms which isolate such populations and thus to postulate risk factors for the spread of drug resistant elements in these parasite populations. For this work we have used RAPD-PCR, but will be extending this work into identification of polymorphic microsatellites to expand these studies.

Additionally, I have strong interests in malaria control and medical entomology . Currently I am the PI and lead scientist running the Malaria Institute at Macha, Zambia. This functions as a core facility for the Research community at Johns Hopkins University, with accent on field research. I have recently been invited to join the WHO Expert Committee on Integrated Vector Control, and the UNEP Committee on DDT and its use against malaria

Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Urinary schistosomiasis, bladder cancer, malaria control, DDT, medical entomology

Member UNEP panel "Global partnership to develop alternatives to DDT". 2004: 2008.

Brouwer, KC., Ndhlovu, P., Munatsi, A and Shiff, CJ. (2001) Genetic Diversity of a population of Schistosoma haematobium derived from school children in east central Zimbabwe. J. Parasitol 87: 762-769.

Shiff, C.J. (2002) Integrated approach to malaria control: Clinical Microbiology Reviews 15: 278-293.

Brouwer, KC., Ndhlovu, P.,Wagatsuma, Y., Munatsi, A and Shiff, CJ.(.2003) Genetic diversity of Schistosoma haematobium in relation to urinary tract morbidity in Zimbabwean schoolchildren American Journal Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 68: 456-462

Ahmed, AAM., Babiker, A., Eltash, LA and Shiff, CJ. (2002) Development of a modified baited trap for the detection of Schistosome cercariae using natural oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids in Sudan. Acta Tropica 82: 363-368.

Brouwer, KC., Ndhlovu, P.,Wagatsuma, Y., Munatsi, A and Shiff, CJ..(2003) Epidemiological assessment of Schistosoma haematobium induced kidney and bladder pathology in rural Zimbabwe Acta Tropica 85: 339-347.

Shiff, C. (2004) Efficacy of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine as a first line treatment for malaria declining in Malawi (Commentary Author) Evidenced Base Health Care & Public Health. 8: 280-83.

Brouwer,KC.; Munatsi,A; Ndhlovu,P.; Wagatsuma,Y; Shiff,C.J (2004) .Urinary schistosomiasis in Zimbabwean school children: predictors of morbidity. African Health Science 4: 115-118

Naples, Jean Marie, Shiff, Clive and Halden Rolfe, U. (2005) Reduction of infectivity of schistosome cercariae by application of cercaricidal oil to water. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 73: 956-961.

Shiff, Clive, Veltri, Robert, Naples, Jean and others (2006) Ultrasound verification of bladder damage is associated with known biomarkers of bladder cancer in adults chronically infected with Schistosoma haematobium in Ghana.. Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg. 100: 847-854.

Mharakurwa, S., Simoloka, S., Thuma, P., Shiff, C. and Sullivan D. (2006). PCR detection of

Plasmodium falciparum in human saliva and urine. Malaria Journal Nov 8. 5. 103.

Naples, J., Isharwal, S., Shiff, CJ., Bosompem, K., Veltri, R. (2009) Clinical utility of squamous and transitional nuclear structure alterations induced by Schistosome haematobium in chronically infected adults with bladder damage verified by ultrasound in Ghana. Analytical and Quantitative Cytology and Histology (in press)

Koukounari, A., Webster, J., Donnelly, C., Bray, B., Naples, J, Bosompem, B and Shiff, C. (2009) Sensitivities and specificities of diagnostic tests and infection prevalence of Schistosoma haematobium estimated from data on adults in villages Northwest of Accra, Ghana. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (in press)

Chimbari, M. and Shiff, CJ. (2008) A laboratory assessment of the potential molluscicidal effect of Jatropha curcas aqueous extracts. African Journal of Aquatic Science 33: 269-273.