Achieving highly efficacious vaccines for malaria by exploring cellular immune mechanisms

Vaccines play an essential role in the reduction and control of infectious diseases globally. An effective vaccine would be a key weapon to eliminate malaria. Fundamental to achieving an effective malaria vaccine is the ability to generate a high magnitude of functional antibodies that are long-lived. However, there are major knowledge gaps in our understanding of how such antibodies are induced and maintained. Current vaccines and vaccine candidates in the pre-clinical pipeline for malaria do not induce robust immune responses with good longevity. 

T-follicular helper cells, which are a key component of cellular immunity, play a critical role in activating B cells. These are important for antibody development and establishing critical B cell memory, but the extent of their role in the maintenance of antibody responses in malaria is poorly understood. In recent work, we have uncovered important roles of T-follicular helper cells and showed that they are critical for the generation of functional antibodies against malaria. 

The aim of this project includes identifying the phenotype of T-follicular helper cells involved in the generation of human antibodies that block the transmission of malaria parasites. The project will utilise detailed human studies, including cohorts of individuals who were experimentally infected with malaria or naturally exposed to malaria in endemic settings. Laboratory techniques will include malaria parasite culture, functional antibody assays, isolation and analysis of immune cells and flow cytometry. The project will be tailored to meet the students’ interests, education and training background.