Understanding how malaria parasite feeds and invades red blood cells
Official title: Elucidating the transport mechanisms in the parasitophorous vacuole of Plasmodium
Funded at Clemson University · NIH-11382800 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how Plasmodium falciparum reshapes human red blood cells to survive, which could lead to better strategies against malaria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Clemson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Clemson, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $234,263 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM146584-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382800 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people in malaria-endemic regions or samples from individuals with malaria, used for laboratory study of parasite-host interactions.
✕Less likely to help
Direct benefits to individual patients may be limited until therapies emerge, but findings aim to inform future treatments.
What this research studies
This project looks at the parasite’s parasitophorous vacuole and the protein complex PTEX that moves parasite proteins into the red blood cell. It will explore how EXP2 embeds in the vacuole membrane and how this supports nutrient transport and protein export. By uncovering these mechanisms, the study aims to reveal new targets for therapies that could block parasite growth inside human blood cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Uncovering new targets could guide the development of more effective anti-malarial strategies and vaccines.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that parasite proteins coordinate with the host cell, but the exact membrane insertion of EXP2 and PTEX assembly are not yet fully understood.
Where this research is happening
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Clemson University
Clemson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fierro, Manuel Antonio — Clemson University
- Study coordinator: Fierro, Manuel Antonio
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.