The University of South Florida (USF) received a $700,288 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (CFDA 93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) to conduct research on identifying genetic factors associated with the development of sexual stages (gametocytes) in the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The grant, awarded on November 12, 2024, will support a 5-year research project using functional genomics approaches, such as random PiggyBac mutagenesis, to screen for P. falciparum genes essential for gametocyte development. Advanced omics analyses of selected mutants will be used to validate phenotypes and elucidate the cellular events underlying sexual stage development in infected human blood cells. This research aims to provide new insights into the complex processes involved in the transmission of malaria, which is a major global health challenge, especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
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