Using malaria prevention methods to also tackle malnutrition in children
Official title: Leveraging the seasonal malaria chemoprevention platform to address malaria and malnutrition
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11053897 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how giving kids aged 3 to 59 months in Burkina Faso special malaria medicine during the rainy season can help not only prevent malaria but also improve their nutrition and health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | December 4, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $214,160 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI182714-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11053897 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for participation are children aged 3-59 months living in areas of Burkina Faso where malaria and malnutrition are prevalent.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the targeted age range or those not residing in the affected regions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) can be utilized not only to prevent malaria but also to address malnutrition in children aged 3-59 months during the rainy season in Burkina Faso. The approach involves the monthly distribution of antimalarial medications, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and amodiaquine, to children at risk of both malaria and malnutrition. By leveraging the existing SMC platform, the study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of additional interventions that could improve child health outcomes during this critical period. The research will assess whether these combined efforts can enhance weight gain and reduce the incidence of malaria-related illnesses in children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved health outcomes for children by reducing both malaria incidence and malnutrition rates.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that antimalarial treatments can positively impact weight gain in malnourished children, indicating potential success for this combined approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Oldenburg, Catherine Elizabeth
Related research
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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.