Immunity to malaria: exploring the antibody and memory response to highly polymorphic antigens

Malaria remains a major global health problem with high morbidity and mortality in children in Sub-Saharan Africa. An efficacious vaccine is urgently needed.

Vaccine design is challenged by difficulties in identifying the specific antigens against which protective antibodies are directed.

Given the extensive diversity of many parasite antigens, immunity is believed to require an antibody repertoire against multiple antigen variants.

The aim of this project is to improve the understanding the naturally acquired immunity to malaria, focusing on antigen diversity and maintenance of immunity.

The project will explore antigen diversity focusing on polymorphic merozoite surface proteins, in relation to antibody and memory B cell responses and their role in protection.

A newly developed sequencing method will allow characterization of antigen diversity across geographical areas, and design of a peptide microarray and recombinant antigens that will be used to investigate the breadth, magnitude and cross-reactivity of antibody responses. Memory B cell responses will be assessed using a newly developed multiplex B cell FluoroSpot method.

Studies are performed in longitudinal cohort in Kenya and Tanzania, as well as travelers treated for malaria in Sweden.

The project builds on close collaboration between researchers Kenya, Tanzania and Sweden and involves joint PhD students. The overall goal is to contribute to the development of an efficacious multicomponent vaccine against malaria.