Malaria medicines that target parasite protein kinases
Official title: Plasmodium Protein Kinase Focused Antimalarials Discovery
Funded at University of Central Florida · NIH-11121847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are developing new malaria medicines that block parasite enzymes called kinases to treat and prevent infections, especially in children and areas with drug-resistant malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Central Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Orlando, United States) |
| Project start | July 11, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $755,961 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI172066-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11121847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who could ultimately benefit include patients (especially children) in malaria-endemic areas and those with infections not responding to current drugs.
✕Less likely to help
Because this is a laboratory and animal-based drug discovery project rather than a clinical trial, patients will not receive direct treatment through the grant activities.
What this research studies
This project will design and make new chemical compounds that target kinase enzymes inside the malaria parasite. Scientists will focus on a class called type II kinase inhibitors and use medicinal chemistry and laboratory parasite tests to optimize them. Promising compounds will be tested in parasite cultures and animal models to see if they work against multiple stages of the parasite life cycle and prevent relapse. The work builds on early screening results that found some candidate molecules with therapeutic and prophylactic activity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments and preventive medicines that work against drug-resistant malaria and protect children in high-risk regions.
How similar studies have gone: Kinase inhibitors are effective drugs in other diseases and the team reports promising early lab hits, but type II kinase inhibitors have not yet been widely tested as antimalarials.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Central Florida
Orlando, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chakrabarti, Debopam — University of Central Florida
- Study coordinator: Chakrabarti, Debopam
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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.