Growing Babesia microti in human red blood cells
Official title: Designing a Robust Platform for the In vitro Propagation of Babesia Microti in Human RBCs
Funded at New York Blood Center · NIH-11247976 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to create a lab method to keep Babesia microti growing in human red blood cells so researchers can learn how the parasite gets into and multiplies inside those cells.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York Blood Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | December 13, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $427,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R61AI187095-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11247976 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who could potentially participate include blood donors, umbilical cord blood donors, individuals with hemochromatosis willing to give samples, and people with documented babesiosis whose samples could provide parasite material.
✕Less likely to help
This project will not provide direct treatment or immediate medical benefit to participants and is unlikely to help someone looking for immediate care for babesiosis.
What this research studies
Researchers will try to establish a continuous culture of B. microti using human red blood cells from different sources (adult blood, umbilical cord blood, and blood from people with hemochromatosis) and parasite material from infected mice and humans. They will separate and sort red blood cell subtypes, test different culture media, serum/lipid and vitamin/mineral additives, and adjust gas conditions to find what supports parasite growth. The team will use FACS and Giemsa staining to measure infection levels and will monitor parasite exit and re-entry into red cells to confirm ongoing propagation. This platform is intended to enable later work to identify the specific human red cell receptors and parasite ligands that allow invasion.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could speed up discovery of diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines by giving researchers a dependable lab system to study how Babesia infects red blood cells.
How similar studies have gone: Continuous in vitro culture of B. microti has been difficult historically, so this approach is relatively novel though similar culture methods have succeeded for other red-cell parasites.
Where this research is happening
-
New York Blood Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lobo, Cheryl Ann — New York Blood Center
- Study coordinator: Lobo, Cheryl Ann
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How estrogen hormone therapy may change vaccine responses in adult transgender women
This study will look at how estrogen hormone therapy in adult transgender women affects their immune response to the seasonal COVID-19 vaccine.
-
Transfusion-driven hyperhemolysis in sickle cell disease
Aimed at understanding why some sickle cell patients have severe, dangerous reactions to blood transfusions and finding ways to prevent it.
-
How moving or traveling affects HIV prevention and care
This project looks at whether frequent moving or travel changes access to PrEP (HIV prevention) and HIV care for men who have sex with men in the U.S.
-
How bone marrow macrophages affect red blood cell production in polycythemia vera
This project looks at whether certain bone marrow immune cells and their signals cause too many red blood cells and if blocking those signals could help people with polycythemia vera.
-
Radiation protection that works differently for men and women
A study to understand why men and women react differently to radiation and to develop a new countermeasure that helps protect blood cells after radiation exposure.
-
Sickle cell bone marrow signals that drive platelet activation and red blood cell production
A patient-facing look at how sickle cell disease changes bone marrow to boost platelet activity and alter red blood cell formation, which may affect anemia and clotting.
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.