Understanding how children's immune systems respond to repeated malaria infections
Official title: Deciphering mechanisms of CD4+ T cell-dependent clinical immunity to repeated Plasmodium infections
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11056878 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how kids' immune systems learn to fight off malaria infections without getting sick, by examining their blood to understand how certain immune cells work, which could lead to better ways to prevent and treat malaria in young children.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | March 15, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $643,506 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI177377-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11056878 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 2 to 5 years who have experienced repeated malaria infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had malaria infections or are older than 5 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how children's immune systems, specifically CD4+ T cells, develop immunity to repeated malaria infections. It focuses on understanding the role of specialized immune cells that help children tolerate the malaria parasite without showing symptoms. By analyzing blood samples from children who have experienced multiple infections, the study aims to uncover the genetic and cellular mechanisms that contribute to this immunity. The findings could help improve malaria prevention strategies and treatment approaches for young children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better strategies for preventing severe malaria in children and enhancing their immune responses.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding immune responses to malaria, but this specific approach is novel and aims to fill existing knowledge gaps.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jagannathan, Prasanna — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Jagannathan, Prasanna
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.