How genetic differences in malaria parasites affect vaccine targets
Evaluating the Functional Impact of Genetic Diversity on Malaria Vaccine Candidates
Researchers will use parasite gene data from infected people to find vaccine targets that work against many different malaria strains, especially those affecting children and pregnant women.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11139486 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will use genetic data from parasites taken from infected people to find parts of the parasite that make good vaccine targets. They will apply a reverse-vaccinology approach to pick promising antigens and then test in the lab whether antibodies can block parasites with different gene variants. The team will focus on candidates such as PfRh5 and its binding partners to see how genetic differences change immune protection. Samples and data come from malaria-endemic areas so the results aim to reflect real-world parasite diversity.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people in malaria-endemic regions — especially children and pregnant women — who are infected and can provide blood samples for genetic and laboratory analysis.
Not a fit: People who are not in malaria-endemic areas or who are not infected and cannot provide samples are unlikely to benefit directly from participating in this lab-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help produce vaccines that protect against a wider range of malaria strains, making vaccines more effective for children and pregnant women in high-risk areas.
How similar studies have performed: Some antigens like PfRh5 have entered clinical trials, but using patient-derived genomic data systematically to test how diversity affects vaccine targets is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bei, Amy Kristine — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Bei, Amy Kristine
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.