# Molecular Mechanisms of Artemisinin Resistance

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA · 2020 · $190,204

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Artemisinin-based combination therapies are the most effective frontline treatments for Plasmodium falciparum
malaria; therefore, the recent emergence and potential spread of artemisinin resistance in Southeast Asia, the
epicenter of multidrug-resistant P. falciparum, has raised global concerns. Studies of clinical isolates from
western Cambodia and genetically modified laboratory strains have established a causal link of artemisinin
resistance with mutations in the K13 gene (Pf3D7_1343700), but the molecular mechanism of K13-mediated
artemisinin resistance is not understood. Population genetic studies of parasites from Southeast Asia showed
independent emergence of the K13 mutants in multiple parasite populations. To further address this urgent
problem, this U.S.-China joint project will (1) identify novel molecular markers associated with artemisinin
resistance through a genome-wide association study of P. falciparum parasite isolates from the China-
Myanmar border area, where artemisinin family drugs have the longest history of deployment; (2) perform
functional studies to determine the role of the K13 gene and its polymorphisms in artemisinin resistance; and
(3) elucidate the molecular mechanism of artemisinin resistance through the identification of the molecular
complex of the K13 protein. This joint project, built on a solid foundation of our past collaboration,
encompasses the complementary expertise and resources from the collaborating institutions. The proposed
studies will take advantage of the large archive of culture-adapted P. falciparum clinical isolates collected from
the China-Myanmar border area and the significant inroad we have made into this field from our earlier
collaborations. Information generated from this study will be highly useful for monitoring, curbing and deterring
the spread of artemisinin resistance, and will have far-reaching impacts on both regional and global malaria
elimination campaigns.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9834819
- **Project number:** 5R01AI128940-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
- **Principal Investigator:** LIWANG CUI
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $190,204
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-12-13 → 2021-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9834819

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9834819, Molecular Mechanisms of Artemisinin Resistance (5R01AI128940-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9834819. Licensed CC0.

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