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Abstract: Since its spillover to humans some 12,000 years ago, malaria, a deadly parasitic disease transmitted between humans via the bite of an infected adult female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases of mankind. Much progress has been recorded in the battle against malaria over the last decade or two, prompting a renewed quest to significantly reduce its burden (by 90% by 2030) or eradicate it by 2040. Unfortunately, these laudable concerted global efforts are threatened by several challenges, such as widespread resistance to all the currently-available insecticides used in vector control, evolution of drug resistance, climate change, land-use changes, emergence of invasive species, human mobility (rural-urban migration), and quality of public health infrastructure and care. I will discuss some of these advances and challenges, in addition to presenting a mathematical framework for gaining deeper qualitative insight into the transmission dynamics and control of the disease in endemic areas. Some pertinent questions, such as those related to whether climate change will lead to a shift or range expansion of the malaria vector and whether or not the eradication goals can be achieved using existing control resources, will be discussed. Relevant bifurcations, and their implications vis a vis the persistence and/or extinction of the malaria vector and, consequently, the disease, will also be discussed. If time permits, I will discuss the potential utility of some of the DNA-based biocontrol methods (such as the release of transgenic mosquitoes) advanced by entomologists against the malaria vector.