Malaria Reservoir Study II: lowering parasite variety to help elimination in high-transmission areas
Official title: Malaria Reservoir Study (MRS) II: reducing parasite diversity to break intervention resilience in Plasmodium falciparum populations at high endemicity
Funded at New York University · NIH-11494913 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in Ghana aims to see if reducing the variety of malaria parasite strains can help limit transmission and move toward elimination, especially in places with high malaria pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $126,204 |
| NIH project number | 3R01TW013268-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11494913 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are residents of study regions in northern Ghana who are part of ongoing malaria surveillance programs and have consented to participate.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not enrolled in surveillance or who withdraw from the study may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on Plasmodium falciparum in Ghana to understand how parasite diversity affects ongoing transmission. Researchers will collect detailed longitudinal data and use new molecular tools to track parasite strains over time. The goal is to see if simplifying the parasite population could make existing interventions more effective for communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The findings could inform malaria programs and help communities move closer to elimination as transmission shifts.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve malaria control strategies and support elimination efforts in high-burden regions.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests parasite diversity influences transmission resilience, but this approach tests a specific diversity-reduction strategy in a real-world setting.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pascual, Mercedes — New York University
- Study coordinator: Pascual, Mercedes
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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.