Relapsing malaria in Africa: understanding persistence of relapsing species in Africa
Official title: Relapsing malaria in Africa: mechanisms for persistence amid falciparum decline
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11550772 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded project in Africa and the U.S. seeks to understand why relapsing malaria species like P. vivax and P. ovale keep spreading, even as falciparum declines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 25, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $30,000 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI165537-05S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11550772 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals in malaria-endemic regions of Africa, particularly Cameroon, who are affected by relapsing malaria species.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with only falciparum malaria or without exposure to relapsing species may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports international collaboration with Cameroonian partners to study relapsing malaria under real-world conditions. Researchers will examine how dormant liver stages and early gametocyte development contribute to ongoing transmission, and how host and parasite interactions influence relapse dynamics. The work aims to fill critical gaps in transmission biology and epidemiology to inform better prevention and treatment strategies in Africa. The foreign collaboration is essential to study authentic African transmission settings that can’t be replicated in the U.S.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could lead to improved therapies and public health strategies to reduce relapsing malaria and transmission in Africa.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown that relapsing malaria species contribute to transmission, but gaps remain in African settings; this project builds on existing collaborations and fills context-specific gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Juliano, Jonathan J — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Juliano, Jonathan J
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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.