Evaluating a malaria vaccine using a new infant monkey model
Official title: Malaria vaccine evaluation in a novel infant NHP challenge model
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-10734794 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how age influences how well malaria vaccines work in young monkeys, with the goal of making these vaccines better for infants and children who are most at risk for malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | November 4, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $353,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI168739-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10734794 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are infants and young children, particularly those living in malaria-endemic regions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are adults or those who do not reside in areas affected by malaria may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to create a new model using infant rhesus monkeys to study how age affects immune responses to malaria vaccines. By understanding these responses, researchers hope to improve vaccine efficacy for infants and children, who are most vulnerable to malaria. The study will involve challenging the monkeys with malaria to observe how well different vaccine candidates work in this age group. This approach is crucial as current vaccines have shown varying effectiveness based on age, particularly in younger populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective malaria vaccines for infants and children, significantly reducing malaria-related illnesses and deaths in these vulnerable populations.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown promise in using non-human primate models to study vaccine responses, indicating that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shears, Melanie Janet — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Shears, Melanie Janet
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Digital malaria surveillance in Ethiopia to improve outbreak detection
A collaboration to add a malaria-specific digital module to an existing surveillance system in Africa to help detect and respond to outbreaks faster.
-
Cross-sector partnership uses digital malaria surveillance in Ethiopia
A US-based team will adapt and test a digital malaria surveillance module in SORMAS to help detect and respond to malaria outbreaks in Ethiopia.
-
Malaria control project in Western Kenya to reduce illness and deaths
A large, multi-year effort in western Kenya will help track malaria spread and test ways to prevent transmission so fewer people get sick or die.
-
Optimizing tafenoquine dose to prevent relapse of vivax malaria in Asia
A study tests the best tafenoquine dose to prevent P. vivax malaria relapse in people in East Asia and Oceania.
-
Optimizing tafenoquine dose to prevent P. vivax malaria relapses in Asia
A study to find the best single-dose tafenoquine amount to prevent relapse of P. vivax malaria in people in East Asia and Oceania.
-
Severe malaria and brain risk in children
This grant studies how severe malaria in young children can affect brain development and long-term thinking and behavior, with a focus on kids in Uganda.
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.