Understanding how malaria parasites spread after treatment
Official title: Measuring the transmissibility of recurrent parasitemias that arise following artemisinin-based combination therapy
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11012270 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how some malaria parasites can survive treatment and still spread the disease, especially in children under 11 in sub-Saharan Africa, to find out how to stop them from passing it on to mosquitoes and causing new infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | January 17, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $233,480 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI180675-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11012270 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children under 11 years old who have recently undergone treatment for malaria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not children or those who have not received artemisinin-based combination therapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how malaria parasites that survive treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapies can continue to spread and cause new infections. It focuses on understanding the role of specific parasite stages, known as gametocytes, that can be transmitted to mosquitoes after treatment. By studying these parasites in children under 11 years old in sub-Saharan Africa, the research aims to identify who is responsible for transmitting drug-resistant malaria and how to interrupt this cycle. The approach includes monitoring patients after treatment to assess the presence and transmissibility of these gametocytes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for preventing the spread of drug-resistant malaria, ultimately saving lives and reducing malaria transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the transmission dynamics of malaria can lead to effective interventions, suggesting that this approach has the potential for success.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lin, Jessica — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Lin, Jessica
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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.