Immunity against sexual stage, that underpin transmission-blocking immunity (TBI), directed at parasite molecules expressed in the gametocyte through to ookinete stages are not well-understood. Antibodies (Ab) specific to these molecules are likely be crucial for TBI. We propose to characterise the sexual stage Ab targets in Plasmodium falciparum (Pf), the cause of the most severe form of malaria, and to better understand the properties of Abs that confer TBI. The goals of this project are to functionally characterise anti-gametocyte antibodies in sera from malaria-infected individuals that mediate TBI using biochemical and immunological techniques.
Public Health
