Towards a malaria blood-stage vaccine: identification and structural analysis of key ligand complexes on Plasmodium falciparum merozoite through proteomic, cryoEM and immunological approaches

This study is important as blood stage malaria vaccine is still a distant dream, and this stage of parasite is mainly responsible for clinical symptoms of malaria. Lack of complete knowledge of parasite biology, host-parasite interactions, immunity and escape mechanisms along with the lack of clear methods for defining antigens as potential vaccine candidate are some of the reasons for our failure to develop asexual blood stage vaccine. At present, many single or two or three merozoite surface antigens are being developed as vaccine candidate antigens, but we still don’t know their organization on merozoite surface. Present proposal would aim to understand the organization of merozoite surface antigens and their B- and T-cell epitope and this may help us to define the antigens that are potential vaccine candidate antigens. Based on these studies, we would like to generate hybrid molecules and therapeutic antibodies that may help to reduce the malaria burden or clinical symptoms.

Project detailsIndia alliance grant information - Team Science Grants (III)

Product Development
Vaccines (Immune Correlates)

Nov 2023 — Oct 2028

$1.18M

India