A. Olotu, Ifakara Health Institute - Immune responses in malaria-exposed children immunised with a new generation blood-stage malaria vaccine.

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Scientists have discovered a protein called Pf reticulocyte-binding protein homolog 5 (PfRH5) which has shown promising results as a candidate malaria vaccine in studies conducted in monkeys and humans living in areas where there is no malaria. The safety and the ability of this vaccine to produce protective antibody responses in adults, young children and infants residing in areas with malaria is unknown. The ARL candidate will conduct a clinical trial and use standard laboratory techniques to determine if this vaccine is safe and well-tolerated in adults, young children and infants and to find out if it can produce antibodies capable of killing parasites growing in red blood cells in laboratory tests. The study will recruit volunteers residing in a low malaria transmission area in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. The study will provide new knowledge with regard to the potential for PfRH5 protein to be included in a malaria vaccine and inform decisions to conduct larger field trials to evaluate efficacy. The results will also identify whether there is scope to further improve this vaccine before conducting bigger trials in the field.