Investigating new treatments for malaria using natural compounds
Official title: Synthetic studies and antimalarial activities of bastimolides and related polyketides
Funded at University of Iowa · NIH-10884252 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on creating new medicines to help fight malaria, especially in children, by testing a natural compound that has shown promise against drug-resistant malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Iowa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Iowa City, United States) |
| Project start | July 7, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $83,831 |
| NIH project number | 5R03AI171379-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10884252 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children under 11 years old who are at risk of or suffering from malaria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not affected by malaria or are over the age of 11 may not receive any benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing new antimalarial drugs to combat the rising drug resistance seen in malaria parasites, particularly in children. The team will synthesize a natural compound called bastimolide A and its analogs, which have shown promise against resistant strains of malaria. By evaluating their effectiveness and understanding how they work, the research aims to discover novel mechanisms to treat malaria. This could lead to new treatment options that are crucial for improving outcomes in affected populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide new and effective treatments for malaria, particularly for children who are most vulnerable to the disease.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in developing new antimalarial drugs from natural products, indicating that this approach has potential.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Iowa
Iowa City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Friestad, Gregory K — University of Iowa
- Study coordinator: Friestad, Gregory K
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.