The JHMRI Parasitology Core at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute is a unique resource for the global malaria research community. This core facility supports advancements in understanding malaria by providing researchers with easy access to research reagents spanning the entire life cycle of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, and rodent malaria models.
We offer the following services: P. falciparum asexual blood and gametocyte stage cultures and human and rodent Plasmodium sporozoite stages. Parasite Core has established optimized methods to produce all life-cycle stages of P. falciparum. It is actively engaged in cutting-edge research to develop innovative tools and assays to enhance malaria research further.
Training Provided
- P. falciparum Culture Techniques: Comprehensive training on blood-stage and mosquito-stage culture methods
- Standard Membrane Feeding Assay: Hands-on instruction for conducting mosquito infection assays
- Safe Handling of Infected Mosquitoes: Training on biosafety and handling practices for P. falciparum-infected mosquitoes
Services Offered
Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Cultures
- Asexual Stages: Available as asynchronous or synchronized cultures (Prep time: 1 week)
- Gametocyte Stages: Specialized cultures for sexual-stage parasites (Prep time: 3 weeks)
Mosquito Stage Parasites
- P. falciparum Sporozoites: Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes infected with sporozoite stages parasites (Prep time: 6 weeks)
- Plasmodium berghei and P. yoelii Sporozoites: Anopheles stephensi and Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes infected with rodent malaria sporozoites (Prep time: 4 weeks)
Custom Services
Custom services are available on a fee-for-service basis or as collaborative projects depending on resource availability. Our current offerings include:
Drug and Vaccine Efficacy Assays
Testing the effectiveness of anti-parasitic drugs and vaccines against multiple life cycle stages of the malaria parasites.
Immunofluorescence Assays
High-resolution immunofluorescence for parasite identification and protein localization studies.
Transmission-Blocking Assays
Assay to evaluate mosquito infection and transmission-blocking activity of drugs, vaccines and genetically modified mosquitoes.
Transgenic Parasites
Generation and phenotypic analysis of genetically modified parasites for advanced research.
Core Personnel
George Dimopoulos
Facility Director
Abhai Tripathi
Facility Co-Director
Godfree Mlambo
Facility Manager
