How mosquitoes and malaria parasites become resistant to insecticides and medicines
Official title: Understanding the Dynamics of Insecticide and Drug Resistance through Integrated Studies of Vectors, Parasites and Interventions
Funded at University of South Florida · NIH-11404830 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows mosquitoes and malaria parasites across different sites to find out why bed nets, sprays, and antimalarial drugs stop working for people at risk of malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $83,725 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI181593-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404830 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in malaria-endemic sentinel sites—especially children, pregnant women, and patients who seek care at participating clinics—are the most likely candidates to take part or provide samples.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside the participating malaria-endemic sites or who do not receive care at the partner clinics are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
If you live in a malaria-prone area, researchers will collect mosquito and parasite samples from communities and clinics where malaria control tools have been used. They will compare places with different intervention histories (for example, long-lasting insecticidal nets, indoor spraying, and drug use) and track changes in resistance over time. The team will link resistance patterns in mosquitoes and parasites to local transmission levels and treatment outcomes. Findings will be used to guide which control tools work best in each setting.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could help keep bed nets, spraying, and malaria medicines effective by guiding better choices of interventions for specific communities.
How similar studies have gone: Surveillance programs like this have previously helped shape malaria control policies, but combining detailed vector and parasite resistance tracking across multiple, diverse sites is a newer, more integrated approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Florida
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cui, Liwang — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Cui, Liwang
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.