How malaria parasites respond to and resist medicines
Chemogenomic Profiling of Plasmodium Falciparum Responses and Resistance
Researchers are linking parasite genes to how they respond to artemisinin and other antimalarial drugs to help people with malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11125990 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project grows and tests malaria parasites in the lab to find which genes change how the parasite reacts to common antimalarial drugs. Scientists create many parasite mutants using a genetic tool called piggyBac and then expose those mutants to drugs to see which ones survive or become sensitive. The team focuses on pathways the parasite uses to survive fever and drug-related stress, including known resistance changes like K13. Results will map drug-gene relationships to point toward ways to overcome resistance and improve treatment choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with Plasmodium falciparum malaria—especially those from areas with suspected drug-resistant infections—could be candidates for related future studies or to donate blood samples for this research.
Not a fit: People with non-falciparum malaria (for example P. vivax) or those whose infections are already cured by current drugs may not directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could reveal new targets or drug combinations to overcome artemisinin resistance and improve cure rates for people with malaria.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genetic and field studies have linked K13 mutations and stress-response pathways to artemisinin resistance, and genetic screening approaches have begun to uncover resistance mechanisms, but this chemogenomic screening strategy applies those tools more broadly.
Where this research is happening
Tampa, United States
- University of South Florida — Tampa, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Adams, John H — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Adams, John H
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.