# Towards noninvasive diagnosis of malaria

> **NIH NIH R21** · CHILDREN'S HOSP OF PHILADELPHIA · 2020 · $188,226

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Plasmodium falciparum causes the deadliest form of malaria, which is responsible for nearly one million deaths
annually. There is currently no perfect test to detect if a person has malaria. This is because all available tests
have challenges and are all based on testing a blood sample. We have identified volatile organic compounds
that are produced by the malaria parasite in culture. In a recent pilot study that was conducted in Lilongwe, Ma-
lawi, we found that similar compounds are also present in the breath of children who have uncomplicated falci-
parum malaria. We also observed a global change in the breath profile of children with malaria. The objectives
of this proposal are to identify candidate biomarkers of malaria, with the long-term goal to develop a new non-
invasive test to diagnose clinical malaria infection. Supported by our strong preliminary data that indicate that
this strategy will be successful, our objectives will be met through two specific aims: 1) determine reproducible
changes in the breath composition in response to malaria infection, in an independent location. 2) Relate
breath changes with parasite development stages. Our approach is innovative, since we will enroll naturally
infected children in the field. Children harbor the highest parasite and gametocyte densities. The proposed re-
search is significant, because we will progress in development of new, much-needed malaria diagnostic tool
that will not rely on blood samples.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10005582
- **Project number:** 7R21AI144472-02
- **Recipient organization:** CHILDREN'S HOSP OF PHILADELPHIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Audrey Ragan Odom John
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $188,226
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2019-01-18 → 2021-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10005582

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10005582, Towards noninvasive diagnosis of malaria (7R21AI144472-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10005582. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*