Understanding immune responses to malaria vaccination
Official title: Collective Responses to Malaria Vaccination
Funded at Seattle Children's Hospital · NIH-11016925 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the immune system reacts to a malaria vaccine made from weakened parasites, and it's for people who want to help researchers understand what makes the vaccine work better for those who have and haven't had malaria before.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Seattle Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | February 9, 2022 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $679,001 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI165455-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11016925 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who are either malaria-naïve or have experienced malaria and are willing to participate in vaccination trials.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not interested in malaria vaccination or those with severe immune system disorders may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the immune system responds to a malaria vaccine made from weakened malaria parasites. By analyzing blood samples from individuals who have received the vaccine, researchers aim to identify specific immune responses that lead to protection against malaria. The study will use advanced techniques to track both the cellular and antibody responses over time, focusing on how these responses differ between people who have never had malaria and those who have. The goal is to uncover the key immune characteristics that contribute to effective vaccination.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective malaria vaccines that provide long-lasting immunity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding immune responses to other vaccines, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights for malaria vaccination.
Where this research is happening
-
Seattle Children's Hospital
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Stuart, Kenneth D — Seattle Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Stuart, Kenneth D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Malaria vaccine and infection: how the body’s early and later immune responses relate to protection
Researchers are studying how people’s immune systems respond to the malaria pre-erythrocytic stage, whether after vaccination or infection, to identify which responses are linked to protection.
-
Malaria prevention in Malawi: smarter analysis of transmission and RTS,S vaccination for kids
A large study in Malawi aims to understand how vaccination and mosquito control affect malaria risk in children, with a focus on how and where transmission happens.
-
Why past malaria infections make vaccines work less well
This project is testing ways to improve vaccine-driven CD8 T cell responses in people who have had malaria.
-
Immune responses to an attenuated malaria vaccine
This project looks at how an attenuated Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccine triggers immune cells and antibodies in people with and without prior malaria exposure.
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Understanding how past malaria infections affect vaccine responses in children
This study is looking at how having malaria before affects how well kids in malaria-prone areas respond to vaccines, using a mouse model to help understand this better and find ways to make vaccines work better for them.
-
Digital malaria surveillance in Ethiopia to improve outbreak detection
A collaboration to add a malaria-specific digital module to an existing surveillance system in Africa to help detect and respond to outbreaks faster.
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.