Using mosquito bite biomarkers to check how well permethrin-treated baby wraps prevent malaria
Official title: Anopheles salivary antigen to measure the effectiveness of permethrin-treated baby wraps for the prevention of malaria: secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11363020 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Smarter protection for young children in Africa: this study looks at whether permethrin-treated baby wraps reduce malaria and uses a mosquito saliva biomarker to understand how the protection works.
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 | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $433,977 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI199907-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11363020 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children up to about 2 years old in sub-Saharan Africa who participated in the permethrin-treated wrap trial or similar populations.
✕Less likely to help
Children not participating in similar malaria prevention trials or settings without insecticide-treated materials may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project analyzes samples from a previous trial where permethrin-treated baby wraps were used on infants to see if they cut malaria cases. It will measure a biomarker called gSG6-P1 to track mosquito exposure and links it to malaria outcomes. The goal is to understand the biological mechanism behind the wraps’ protection and whether the biomarker reliably reflects exposure in the SSA setting. Results could help tailor malaria prevention strategies for young children and inform future interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could confirm a biomarker-based way to monitor and optimize malaria prevention in infants.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trial showed reduced malaria incidence with permethrin-treated wraps; this study tests the mechanism with biomarkers, which is promising but still needs confirmation.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boyce, Ross Mathew — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Boyce, Ross Mathew
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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.