How malaria parasites change liver cells to survive
Perturbations of host cell signaling by a complex hepatotropic pathogen
Researchers are looking at how malaria parasites keep liver cells alive or cause them to die and how those outcomes shape immune responses for people at risk of malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285164 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this work examines what happens inside liver cells after malaria parasites arrive and whether those cells survive or die. Scientists use lab-grown cells and animal models to turn on or block different types of cell death (like apoptosis and lipid-peroxide–driven death) and then watch how immune cells respond. They also test how preventing certain cell deaths affects the strength of immune responses after whole-parasite vaccination. The goal is to learn which cellular pathways help clear parasites and which dampen protective immunity so future vaccines or treatments can be improved.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This grant is primarily lab-based and is not currently recruiting patients, but people at risk for malaria or volunteers for future liver-stage vaccine trials would be the likely candidates for follow-up human studies.
Not a fit: People who are not at risk for malaria or whose health issues are unrelated to malaria are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic science research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to ways to boost vaccines or therapies that help the immune system clear liver-stage malaria.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cell and animal studies have shown that changing hepatocyte death pathways can alter parasite survival and immune responses, though translating these findings into improved human vaccines or treatments remains limited.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Seattle Children's Hospital — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kaushansky, Alexis — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kaushansky, Alexis
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.