Cerebral malaria is a deadly form of malaria where infected blood cells stick to brain blood vessels, making them break down.

We will use new tissue analysis tools to study preserved brain samples from deceased patients, making a detailed map of all cell types and their disruption markers. Based on this insight, we will build an advanced 3D model of brain blood vessels in the lab that includes immune cells and expose it to malaria-infected blood cells to track how damage occurs. Using powerful computational analysis, we will compare findings from both the real brain tissue and our model to develop a refined 3D model that matches what happens in patients. This improved model will be useful to test drugs to prevent or lessen blood vessel damage in cerebral malaria. While focused on cerebral malaria, the research methods—combining advanced tissue analysis, 3D bioengineering, and computer modelling—will benefit research into other brain and vascular diseases.

Maria Bernabeu (EMBL Barcelona), Evangelia Petsalaki (EMBL-EBI), Christopher Moxon (University of Glasgow)