How the RTS,S malaria vaccine protects young children in Africa
Official title: Systems biological assessment of vaccination-induced protective immunity in African children
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11470646 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses blood tests and advanced lab analyses to find immune patterns that predict how well the RTS,S malaria vaccine protects young children in Malawi.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $20,983 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AI165527-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470646 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young children (0–11 years) living in malaria-endemic areas of Malawi who receive the RTS,S vaccine and can provide blood samples and follow-up information.
✕Less likely to help
Children who do not live in malaria-endemic areas, who do not receive RTS,S, or who cannot provide blood samples or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
Children in a WHO-sponsored cohort in Malawi who receive the RTS,S vaccine will have blood samples collected before and after vaccination so researchers can measure many immune signals. The team will apply multi-omics lab methods and computational models to identify baseline and vaccine-induced immune markers linked to stronger or longer-lasting protection. By linking those immune signatures to who gets infected over time, researchers aim to understand why protection wanes and why some children respond poorly. Findings will be used to inform better vaccine schedules, booster strategies, or next-generation vaccines for young children in malaria areas.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help design vaccination schedules or improved vaccines that give stronger, longer-lasting protection for young children against malaria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous RTS,S trials have shown partial and waning protection, and applying systems-biology approaches to predict protection is relatively new but has produced some promising early leads.
Where this research is happening
-
Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pulendran, Bali — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Pulendran, Bali
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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.