How malaria damages the brain's blood barrier
Brain endothelial barrier disruption during cerebral malaria
Looking into how natural malaria pigment and parasite molecules make the brain's blood vessels leak, to help protect people with severe malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11307587 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses malaria parasite material and human brain blood-vessel cells grown in the lab to see how the parasite causes gaps between cells that let blood and inflammatory material into the brain. The team will compare natural hemozoin (the dark pigment from infected red blood cells) with synthetic hemozoin to see whether the natural form carries other parasite molecules that harm the barrier. They will try to identify the specific parasite-derived molecules responsible and test their effects in a lab model that mimics the human blood-brain barrier and surrounding support cells. The work is done in vitro with human-derived cells and parasite products, so it is not a treatment trial but could point to targets for future therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have or recently had severe Plasmodium falciparum infection, especially those who survived or are at risk for cerebral malaria, would be the most relevant group for related future sample donation or clinical follow-up.
Not a fit: People without malaria or those with milder or non-falciparum malaria are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this laboratory-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could point to new treatments or prevention strategies that keep the brain's blood barrier intact during severe malaria and reduce death and long-term neurological problems.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab studies have shown that natural hemozoin can disrupt endothelial junctions, but pinpointing the exact parasite molecules responsible is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rodriguez, Ana — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Rodriguez, Ana
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.