A lab system to grow vivax malaria parasites in human-like blood cells
Continuous in vitro culture and genetics of Plasmodium vivax in a bespoke blood cell bioreactor
This project aims to grow the Plasmodium vivax malaria parasite continuously in a lab-grown human blood-cell environment to help speed new treatments and vaccines for people at risk of vivax malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11314489 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will build a custom bioreactor that mimics the human blood and bone marrow environment where P. vivax normally lives. They will grow the parasite in young red blood cells (reticulocytes), co-cultured with supportive bone marrow and spleen cells to keep conditions similar to the body. The team will also engineer stem cells to make reticulocytes that the parasite can infect more easily and modify parasites genetically to improve invasion in the lab. Together these steps aim to create a stable, continuous culture system so scientists can study the parasite and test drugs or vaccines more effectively.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have recently had vivax malaria or live in regions where vivax is common could be potential donors of blood or parasite samples for related lab work.
Not a fit: People without vivax infection or with unrelated health conditions are unlikely to see direct benefits from this laboratory-focused work in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could greatly speed development of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests for vivax malaria and improve understanding of how the parasite causes disease.
How similar studies have performed: Long-term continuous culture of P. vivax has been difficult and only met with limited success before, so this approach is relatively novel and high-risk/high-reward.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Duraisingh, Manoj T — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Duraisingh, Manoj T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.