Tracking drug-resistant malaria in Uganda
Surveillance to track and characterize antimalarial resistance trends in Ugandan Plasmodium falciparum parasites (STARTUP)
This project tracks how malaria parasites in Uganda are becoming resistant to common antimalarial medicines to help people with malaria get effective treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11458912 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect blood samples from people treated for malaria at health sites across Uganda. Labs in Kampala and Tororo will run parasite tests and genetic sequencing to look for known resistance markers like changes in the pfkelch13 gene and markers for partner drug resistance. The team will link these genetic findings to lab measures of drug sensitivity and to clinical outcomes to see which parasites survive treatment. They will also study local patterns and ecological factors that help resistant strains emerge and spread.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with confirmed Plasmodium falciparum malaria who seek care at participating surveillance sites in Uganda would be the typical candidates for providing samples or clinical data.
Not a fit: People without malaria, those with other malaria species, or individuals living outside the Ugandan surveillance network are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help health officials choose effective treatments sooner and slow the spread of drug-resistant malaria, reducing treatment failures and deaths.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic surveillance has previously detected artemisinin resistance in Southeast Asia and recent studies have already identified concerning mutations in Uganda and Rwanda, so the approach is established though local patterns are still being defined.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conrad, Melissa D — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Conrad, Melissa D
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 below.