COVID spread and illness in Malawi
COVID Transmission and Morbidity in Malawi (COVID-TMM)
This project will find out how prior infections like malaria or intestinal worms change COVID-19 infection, symptoms, and vaccine responses in adults in Malawi.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston University Medical Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11414837 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will take health histories and collect blood and other samples to measure immune and antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2. They will test participants for malaria and intestinal worms, check for anemia and nutrition status, and record symptoms and household transmission. The team will compare people who never had COVID, those who were infected but had no symptoms, and those who got sick to see how prior infections shape immune responses. These measurements will be taken over time to track how immunity and protection evolve.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older living in Malawi, including people with or without malaria or helminth infections, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: Children under 21, people living outside Malawi, or those unwilling to provide blood or medical information are unlikely to be eligible or receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could explain immune factors that reduce COVID illness and help tailor prevention and vaccination strategies for people in the region.
How similar studies have performed: Some prior research has suggested prior infections or trained innate immunity might lower COVID severity in parts of Africa, but results are mixed and the hypothesis remains incompletely tested.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston University Medical Campus — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Valim, Clarissa — Boston University Medical Campus
- Study coordinator: Valim, Clarissa
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.