# Generating a novel dual stage malaria vaccine

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2022 · $264,750

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
Malaria, caused by infection with Plasmodium parasites, is a major global health issue in need of a long lasting
effective vaccine. In development since the 1980s, RTS,S is the only licensed malaria vaccine and targets the
asymptomatic liver stage of the Plasmodium life cycle. However, RTS,S offers only low levels of initial
protection, which wane significantly over the first few years, at which point patients are no longer protected
from symptomatic blood stage malaria infection. Hence, there is a great need for an improved malaria vaccine.
We have recently published studies demonstrating that Plasmodium parasites that have survived the liver
infective stage and entered the blood infective stage can induce an inflammatory environment that disrupts the
ongoing immune response to liver stage parasites. Therefore, we hypothesize that developing a vaccine that
targets both liver and blood stage parasites will prevent the disruption of the liver stage immune response
caused by the blood stage inflammation. If our hypothesis is correct, dual stage immunization will result in both
increased breadth of antigenic targets in addition to enhancing liver stage immunity. The goal of this proposal
is to develop an animal model system that will allow us to test the protective capacity of such a vaccine for
humans. We propose to develop a system consisting of novel nanoparticle vaccines and transgenic
Plasmodium parasites to push the limits of immune protection and gain a better understanding of optimal
vaccine regimens. We have assembled the ideal team that has the knowledge and technical expertise to
realize this goal.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10495232
- **Project number:** 5R21AI166022-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** MARION PEPPER
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $264,750
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2021-09-24 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10495232

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10495232, Generating a novel dual stage malaria vaccine (5R21AI166022-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10495232. Licensed CC0.

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