Targeting infected freshwater snails to reduce schistosomiasis around Lake Victoria, Kenya
Official title: Snail-Related Studies of Transmission & Control of Schistosomiasis in Kenya
Funded at University of New Mexico · NIH-11386501 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project develops ways to find and block the parasites inside freshwater snails so fewer people living near Lake Victoria, Kenya, get schistosomiasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of New Mexico NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Albuquerque, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2012 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $350,916 |
| NIH project number | 5R37AI101438-15 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386501 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people who live or work near Lake Victoria in western Kenya and are regularly exposed to freshwater, placing them at risk for or currently infected with Schistosoma mansoni.
✕Less likely to help
People who live outside endemic freshwater areas or who have different forms of schistosomiasis (for example S. haematobium) are unlikely to receive direct benefit from these snail-focused strategies.
What this research studies
This work focuses on the freshwater snails that produce the infective stage of Schistosoma mansoni and looks for specific ways to interrupt parasite development inside those snails. Researchers will combine laboratory experiments on snail immune responses with field studies of Biomphalaria snails collected around Lake Victoria in western Kenya. They will use transcriptomics and other molecular tools to identify markers of infected snails and test targeted interventions against larval parasite stages. The team will also track how changing temperatures and local conditions affect snail populations and infection risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce transmission and lower the number of schistosomiasis infections in affected communities by targeting infected snails rather than broad snail eradication.
How similar studies have gone: Broad snail-control methods have had limited field success, but laboratory and some field findings supporting targeted approaches make this a promising and relatively novel strategy.
Where this research is happening
-
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loker, Eric Samuel — University of New Mexico
- Study coordinator: Loker, Eric Samuel
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.