Role of TAM receptors in humoral immunity and malaria
Official title: Role of TAM receptors in modulating humoral immunity against parasitic infections
Funded at Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci · NIH-11399059 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A doctor-science team is studying how a specific immune pathway (TAM receptors on B cells) affects antibody responses to malaria and whether blocking this pathway could improve immunity.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (North Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $533,007 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI182217-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11399059 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals in malaria-endemic regions or with malaria exposure whose B cell responses could be studied or who could contribute blood samples for immunological analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not affected by malaria or without immune system involvement may not directly benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project looks at why immunity to malaria is not lasting and how Plasmodium-infected people can still carry and spread the parasite. Researchers will study how malaria-related low oxygen in the body might cause B cells to express TAM receptors, potentially weakening the antibody response. The work uses genetic tricks, biochemistry, and bone marrow chimeras to test whether interrupting this hypoxia-TAM-plasmablast pathway can strengthen anti-Plasmodium antibodies. If successful, the findings could guide new approaches to boost humoral immunity against malaria.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the approach works, it could lead to better vaccines or therapies that produce stronger, longer-lasting antibodies against malaria.
How similar studies have gone: Prior findings suggest that modulating B cell responses can influence antibody quality, but this specific hypoxia-TAM axis in malaria is exploratory and promising.
Where this research is happening
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Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
North Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vijay, Rahul — Rosalind Franklin Univ of Medicine & Sci
- Study coordinator: Vijay, Rahul
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.