Malaria Reservoir Study II: reducing parasite variety to help eliminate malaria in West Africa
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-11373888 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant tests whether reducing the diversity of malaria parasite strains in West Africa can make elimination efforts more effective for people living in high-endemic areas.
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) | $352,497 |
| NIH project number | 1R01TW013268-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11373888 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children and adults in Ghana and similar high-endemic regions who are affected by malaria transmission.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not exposed to malaria transmission in settings outside the study areas may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on people in Ghana and surrounding areas where malaria is common. Researchers will track how many different parasite strains are circulating and how this diversity relates to transmission, using blood samples and new molecular methods. The study will connect data on parasite diversity with patterns of infection over time to see if narrowing diversity could reduce transmission. By studying real-world transmission in a high-endemic setting, the team hopes to identify strategies that could shorten the path to elimination.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to smarter malaria control strategies that reduce infections by targeting diverse parasite strains.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests complexity of parasite diversity influences transmission, but this project tests a targeted approach 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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Malaria Reservoir Study II: reducing parasite diversity to help eliminate malaria
A study in West Africa aims to see if lowering the variety of malaria parasite strains can make elimination efforts more effective for communities living in high-transmission areas.
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Malaria Reservoir Study II: lowering parasite variety to help elimination in high-transmission areas
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.
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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.