Improving newborn health with rapid malaria testing in pregnancy in Africa
Official title: Improving Neonatal health Through Rapid malaria testing in Early Pregnancy with high-sensitivity Diagnostics (INTREPiD)
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11520770 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded project will test high-sensitivity malaria rapid tests to help manage malaria in pregnant people in Africa, aiming to reduce infant deaths and improve newborn health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $233,902 |
| NIH project number | 3U01AI162463-05S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11520770 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant people in the first, second, or third trimester in Kenya or DR Congo who are at risk for malaria.
✕Less likely to help
Pregnant people in settings without malaria risk or without access to early antenatal care may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project partners with Kenya and DR Congo to bring rapid malaria testing into early pregnancy care. It uses high-sensitivity tests to detect low-density infections and plans to integrate first-trimester screening into routine antenatal care. The study aligns with global health goals to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality and to accelerate adoption of new health tools in resource-limited settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lower newborn deaths related to malaria by enabling earlier, targeted treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous rapid tests have reduced malaria burden in pregnancy, but this project focuses on first-trimester screening and high-sensitivity detection in Africa.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Taylor, Steve Myer — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Taylor, Steve Myer
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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.