Acquisition and maintenance of merozoite antibodies following P. falciparum exposure and their role in immunity to malaria

Malaria vaccines currently provide modest and short-lived protection against disease. This thesis presents important insights into the antibody response to malaria exposure, which can be used to inform the development of more efficacious and long-lasting vaccines. In particular, we investigated antibodies against merozoites, the parasite form responsible for invading red blood cells, in two cohorts exposed to the malaria-causing parasite P. falciparum. We identified major antibody targets and functions in response to first infection. We further identified antibodies associated with malaria immunity, and found that antibody boosting magnitude is associated with clinical outcomes. Finally, we highlight the importance of age, which modulates the relationship between antibodies and malaria immunity.