Professor Bob Snow from our KEMRI-Wellcome programme in Nairobi, Kenya, tells us how his research brings together epidemiological profiles and government policies to maximise malaria control programmes in Africa Quality data is vital to design better malaria control programmes. This project helps various African countries gather epidemiological evidence to better control malaria. Professor Bob Snow showed how sub-regional, evidence-based platforms can effectively change malaria treatment policies. Professor Bob Snow has developed a large programme of work on the phenotype of malaria disease, its relationship to parasite exposure and its wider public health burden. Technical advisor to the Kenyan Government (and member of a number of international malaria advisory panels), Professor Snow provides the bridge between basic malaria epidemiology and malaria control policy in the region. Malaria control in Africa. Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 2.0 UK: England & Wales; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/uk/