Understanding how early mosquito-stage malaria parasites can help create better vaccines
Official title: Defining the immunogenic landscape of early mosquito-stage P. falciparum to accelerate malaria transmission-blocking vaccine discovery
Funded at Institute for Systems Biology · NIH-11133003 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at the early stages of the malaria parasite in mosquitoes to find proteins that could help create vaccines to stop malaria from spreading from humans to mosquitoes, which could be a big step in fighting the disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Institute for Systems Biology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | July 5, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $947,948 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI183678-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11133003 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals living in malaria-endemic regions who are at risk of malaria infection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not live in malaria-endemic areas or those who are not at risk of malaria infection may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium and aims to identify the proteins expressed during its early stages in mosquitoes. By characterizing these proteins, the study seeks to develop vaccines that can block the transmission of malaria from humans to mosquitoes, which is crucial for eradicating the disease. The approach involves detailed analysis of the mosquito-stage parasites to find potential targets for new transmission-blocking vaccines. This could lead to more effective strategies in preventing malaria spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of vaccines that significantly reduce malaria transmission, ultimately saving lives.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been some successful vaccine candidates targeting malaria, this specific approach focusing on early mosquito-stage parasites is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Institute for Systems Biology
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Swearingen, Kristian Edward — Institute for Systems Biology
- Study coordinator: Swearingen, Kristian Edward
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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.