Bioengineered human brain vessels to study cerebral malaria and explore new therapies
Official title: Bioengineered human microvessel platforms for modeling disease mechanisms and developing adjunctive therapy for cerebral malaria
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11563774 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing a new 3D model of human brain blood vessels to understand how cerebral malaria causes damage and to identify possible adjunctive treatments for children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $922,799 |
| NIH project number | 1R56AI195462-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11563774 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with cerebral malaria or those at risk of severe disease could benefit from advances informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits may be limited for healthy individuals or those with malaria types not caused by P. falciparum, and results may initially apply to a lab model rather than immediate clinical care.
What this research studies
This project builds bioengineered 3D human brain microvessels to mimic how cerebral malaria affects the brain’s blood vessels. By exposing these vessels to the malaria parasite and inflammatory signals, scientists will observe how vascular inflammation and blood-brain barrier leakage occur at the cellular level. The goal is to reveal mechanisms that can be targeted with therapies used alongside anti-parasite drugs, with a focus on reducing death and long-term neurocognitive problems in affected children. The work is designed to move beyond animal models and study human-relevant vascular responses in a controlled lab setting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new adjunctive therapies that reduce mortality and better protect brain function in children with cerebral malaria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using human tissue models have shown promise in understanding brain vessel responses, but this project provides a novel 3D engineered system for cerebral malaria.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Joseph Douglas — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Smith, Joseph Douglas
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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.