Why malaria vaccines work differently across communities
Official title: Baseline host and environmental factors that impact pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine (hypo)responsiveness in endemic regions
Funded at Leiden University Medical Center · NIH-11307568 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at how a person's environment and immune system affect whether a vaccine that targets the malaria parasite before it reaches the blood protects people living where malaria is common.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Leiden University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Leiden, Netherlands) |
| Project start | March 8, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $650,010 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI165745-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307568 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People living in malaria-endemic areas (often in parts of Africa) who are enrolled in vaccine cohorts or willing to give blood samples and health information would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in malaria-endemic regions or who cannot receive vaccines are unlikely to be helped directly by participation.
What this research studies
This project compares people from different communities in malaria-endemic countries to understand why vaccine protection varies. Researchers will collect blood samples and use modern 'omics' tests (like transcriptomics) to measure immune signals and other biological markers. Methods will be harmonized across sites so results from different countries and settings can be compared directly. The goal is to identify environmental and host factors—such as prior infections, local exposures, or age—that change how well early-stage malaria vaccines work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help make malaria vaccines more effective where they are needed most by guiding better vaccine design or targeted use.
How similar studies have gone: Other vaccine studies using transcriptomics and related 'omics' have provided promising clues, but a harmonized, multi-country approach for malaria vaccines remains largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Leiden University Medical Center
Leiden, Netherlands Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yazdanbakhsh, Maria — Leiden University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Yazdanbakhsh, Maria
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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.