Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are using radiation science to create weakened, harmless versions of a parasite to create a new type of vaccine that shows promise of being more effective than current malaria vaccines.

The new vaccine is a departure from previous approaches, which have usually depended on proteins derived from only part of the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the most dangerous species of parasite that causes malaria.

Its development followed findings that volunteers built up high levels of protection to malaria after being exposed to mosquitoes containing live, radiation-weakened parasites.

NIST researchers are helping biotech firm Sanaria Inc. create the new vaccine. The process exposes live mosquitoes containing the parasite to gamma rays, Newswise reports.

The new vaccine is being manufactured in time for human clinical trials. NIST researchers will continue to be active in the manufacturing process by doing regularly scheduled quality-assurance tests that ensure the desired dose is being delivered to the mosquitoes.

Stephen Hoffman, Sanaria's CEO and Chief Scientific Officer, will describe the development of the malaria vaccine at a colloquium on Nov. 16 at NIST's Gaithersburg, Md., campus.