Haplotype linked to malaria drug resistance in Africa
Official title: Investigating a positively-selected chromosome 7 haplotype associated with decreased susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to artemisinin and lumefantrine in Africa
Funded at Brown University · NIH-11441530 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies a chromosome 7 haplotype in the malaria parasite that may make artemisinin and lumefantrine less effective, with the goal of keeping key treatments working for people in sub-Saharan Africa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 18, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $251,562 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI202558-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441530 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People in malaria-endemic regions, especially sub-Saharan Africa, whose communities may bear drug-resistant malaria.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not affected by malaria or not in regions with drug-resistant strains may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
Malaria treatment in Africa is threatened as the parasite shows signs of resistance to frontline drugs. The project will map how widespread a specific PX1-related haplotype is across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond Uganda, using thousands of parasite samples. It will also use lab methods, including CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing, to confirm that changes in PX1 cause drug resistance and to understand how the resistance works. The findings could guide urgent new strategies to preserve the effectiveness of artemisinin combination therapies and protect lives.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform public health strategies to keep ACTs effective and guide development of new interventions against resistant malaria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked specific parasite genetic markers to drug resistance, supporting the plausibility of this approach; however, the exact PX1 haplotype findings are being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Brown University
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bailey, Jeffrey a. — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Bailey, Jeffrey a.
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.