Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) a Project Grant totaling $895,740 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) effective February 2, 2026, with completion expected January 31, 2031. This research initiative will deliver comprehensive characterization and identification of CD4 T cell epitopes targeting both liver and blood stage malaria parasites (Plasmodium falciparum). The research addresses critical gaps in malaria vaccine development by identifying hundreds of novel epitopes and employing innovative T cell assays to characterize epitope-specific T cells at the individual cell level, with particular emphasis on liver-stage antigens critical to protective immune responses.

The research will employ two primary methodological approaches. First, UCSF will develop DNA-barcoded Plasmodium falciparum peptide libraries incorporating geographically relevant sequence variants and conduct multiplexed screening to identify peptides binding to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1 allotypes prevalent in East Africa, with validation using samples from a cohort of highly malaria-exposed Ugandan children. Second, the team will utilize peptide:HLA binding data to construct a 1000-plex DNA-barcoded multimer probe-set, generating novel tools and datasets for vaccine innovation. These research products and services will significantly advance scientific understanding of the antigenic determinants and protective CD4 T cell characteristics essential for developing more effective malaria vaccines.