Understanding artemisinin resistance in malaria parasites
Official title: State of the ART: Functional genomics of RNA-binding proteins and their role in artemisinin drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum
Funded at Florida State University · NIH-11512837 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how malaria parasites change RNA-handling proteins to survive artemisinin drugs, aiming to help people treated for Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Florida State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tallahassee, United States) |
| Project start | May 3, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00AI177948-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11512837 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with confirmed Plasmodium falciparum infections, especially those whose parasites clear slowly after artemisinin treatment or whose samples carry known resistance markers, would be most relevant to this line of research.
✕Less likely to help
People without P. falciparum malaria or those not treated with artemisinin are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will grow malaria parasites in the lab and apply drug pressure to create parasite lines that are less sensitive to artemisinin. They will profile individual parasites' RNA to see which genes and RNA-binding proteins change when resistance appears. The team will use genetic tools to edit or disrupt those RNA-binding proteins to test whether they cause resistance. Findings could point to molecular signs of resistance or new targets for better treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier detection of artemisinin-resistant infections and inform development of more effective treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have linked K13 mutations to partial artemisinin resistance, but using single-cell genomics and focusing on RNA-binding proteins is a newer approach with limited prior clinical translation.
Where this research is happening
-
Florida State University
Tallahassee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ruberto, Anthony a — Florida State University
- Study coordinator: Ruberto, Anthony a
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.