Linking mosquito metabolism and genome regulation to fight malaria in Anopheles stephensi
Official title: Link between immunometabolism and epigenetics in malaria vector mosquito Anopheles stephensi.
Funded at New Mexico State University Las Cruces · NIH-11424231 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project will explore how metabolism and gene regulation in Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes affect their ability to carry malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New Mexico State University Las Cruces NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Cruces, United States) |
| Project start | September 3, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $146,671 |
| NIH project number | 1R16AI201108-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424231 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients; study focuses on mosquitoes, but findings may inform future interventions against malaria.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit since this study is mosquito-focused and not a clinical trial.
What this research studies
This project uses advanced sequencing and data analysis to understand how a mosquito’s metabolism interacts with its genome to influence immune responses against malaria. Researchers will combine metabolomics, ATAC-seq to map accessible chromatin, CUT&Tag for epigenetic marks, and RNA-seq to connect metabolic changes with gene activity. The goal is to reveal mechanisms by which lactate and other metabolic shifts shape anti-plasmodial immunity in the malaria vector. It also provides hands-on training for undergraduate and graduate students in multi-omics techniques.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Insights from this work could lead to new strategies to reduce malaria transmission by targeting mosquito biology.
How similar studies have gone: Multi-omics approaches have successfully linked metabolism to epigenetic regulation in other systems, informing vector biology research.
Where this research is happening
-
New Mexico State University Las Cruces
Las Cruces, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Jiannong — New Mexico State University Las Cruces
- Study coordinator: Xu, Jiannong
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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.