Understanding the dormant liver form of vivax malaria
Official title: Multi-Omics Characterization of Plasmodium Vivax Hypnozoites
Funded at University of Maryland Baltimore · NIH-11467296 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Using advanced molecular profiling on parasites and liver cells to learn how P. vivax hides in the liver and later causes relapsing malaria in people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Maryland Baltimore NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | December 22, 2022 |
| Project end | November 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $121,824 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI172827-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11467296 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Although this grant is lab-focused and does not enroll patients directly, people in P. vivax–endemic areas with recent or recurrent vivax malaria would be the likely candidates for future related trials or sample donation.
✕Less likely to help
People with other types of malaria (for example P. falciparum) or unrelated liver conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will apply multiple molecular techniques (gene activity, chromatin accessibility, and lipid profiling) to parasite and host samples to map the biology of dormant P. vivax hypnozoites. They will analyze material from infected non-human primates and human liver cells infected in the lab with parasites collected from patients. The team will look at both parasite programs and the host liver responses at cellular and organ levels. These lab-based findings aim to identify targets that could be used to prevent relapse or clear dormant infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new vaccines or drugs that prevent or clear dormant P. vivax infections and reduce relapsing malaria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous gene-expression studies of liver-stage malaria are limited, so this comprehensive multi-omics approach is relatively novel though it builds on smaller prior molecular investigations.
Where this research is happening
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University of Maryland Baltimore
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Serre, David — University of Maryland Baltimore
- Study coordinator: Serre, David
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.