A malaria vaccine that can protect against all strains of the disease is now ready to for human trials in the next 12 months.

The vaccine, called PlasProtecT will be launched at the opening of Griffith University's Institute for Glycomic's Laboratory of Vaccines for the Developing World this Friday.

The vaccine uses an ultra-low dose of whole malaria parasites that are rendered inert by a chemical treatment. When the vaccine is injected to the human body, the sleeping malaria parasites are triggered by inducing T cells in the body. The treatment is expected to protect the body against all known strains of malaria.

For years researchers and scientists have been looking for a malaria vaccine, their efforts have proved futile until now.

"Our approach has entailed putting the parasite to sleep by using a new class of chemical compounds that target certain DNA sequences in the parasite," said lead researcher on the vaccine, Professor Michael Good in a report from Life Scientist.

"The sleeping parasite is then injected in very small doses and we have observed very strong immune responses that can protect from multiple strains and species of the parasite, thus potentially overcoming the major hurdle to developing a vaccine."

The PlasProtectT will be administered to volunteers at the clinical trials starting within the next 12 months. The vaccine will still continue to be developed at the Griffith University laboratory.

The research team will include 13 post-doctoral researchers, assistants and students as well as a team of Australian and international researchers.

The vaccine will be inexpensive to produce making it easier for developing countries who have been hit hard with the malaria disease to provide relief for sufferers.

"Malaria kills one million children per year, most of whom are in the developing world," said Good . "Our approach to vaccine development could lead to a significant reduction in the global burden of malaria.

"Furthermore the vaccine will be very cheap to produce, which would therefore increase the uptake in poor countries where it is needed most."