Risk-based malaria screening in schoolchildren using phone-based eye images
Official title: Risk stratification of malaria among school-age children with mHealth spectroscopy of blood analysis
Funded at Purdue University · NIH-11384588 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A low-cost, phone-based tool helps identify which schoolchildren in malaria-endemic areas should get a confirmatory malaria test.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Purdue University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (West Lafayette, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $197,592 |
| NIH project number | 5R33TW012486-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384588 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
School-age children in malaria-endemic areas who would benefit from prioritized testing.
✕Less likely to help
Children not identified as high risk by the tool may not directly benefit from additional testing.
What this research studies
This project uses a mobile health app to capture digital images of the inner eyelid and combine them with simple data to flag children who are at higher risk for malaria. The goal is to reduce unnecessary testing by focusing resources on the children most likely to have malaria, while staying scalable and affordable in settings like Rwanda. If successful, the approach could be adapted to improve malaria screening and public health readiness in other regions, including parts of the US with limited access to care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this tool could make malaria screening faster and cheaper, helping more children get timely tests and treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Related approaches using simple imaging and risk stratification have shown promise in targeting testing, but this specific eyelid-imaging method is innovative.
Where this research is happening
-
Purdue University
West Lafayette, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Young L — Purdue University
- Study coordinator: Kim, Young L
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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.