Project Grant R01AI197390

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded Weill Medical College of Cornell University $870,131 on August 11, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to define DNA double-strand break repair mechanisms in Plasmodium falciparum and their role in antigenic variation and genome integrity maintenance.

The research examines how the malaria parasite repairs DNA damage—specifically double-strand breaks—which the investigator proposes enables the parasite's genetic adaptability and pathogenic success. P. falciparum uniquely lacks the non-homologous end joining pathway prevalent in higher eukaryotes, a characteristic the investigator believes has allowed evolution of a partitioned genome with conserved core regions and highly variable subtelomeric regions. The work will compare and contrast DNA damage responses at different chromosomal locations, identify repair proteins responsible for RAD51-independent homologous recombination, and use proximity-based proteomics to map proteins recruited to double-strand breaks at specific genomic sites. The investigator will employ RAD51-knockout parasite lines to identify alternative repair pathways.

The award carries a period of performance from August 11, 2026, through July 31, 2031. Work is performed in New York, New York. This is a Project Grant, the standard NIH investigator-initiated research assistance type.