Topics and Trends in Most Cited Malaria Research and Control Papers

Ranked by citations 18 months after publication

Class of 2026 (Papers Published in 2024)

What topics and trends defined most-cited Malaria Research and Control research in the Class of 2026?

Malaria research in 2024 highlights urgent shifts toward antimalarial and insecticide resistance monitoring, paired with rapid momentum in novel immunization strategies. Key advancements include the roll-out of R21/Matrix-M vaccines, targeted monoclonal antibodies against circumsporozoite antigens, and expanded point-of-care genomic diagnostics to combat emerging drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains.

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Updated July 23, 2026

At a glance

Field
Malaria Research and Control
Cohort label
Class of 2026 (2024 publications)
Papers analyzed
4,778
Papers ranked
20
Top topics in ranked papers
Plasmodium falciparum, antimalarial drug resistance, insecticide resistance, R21/Matrix-M vaccine, genomic surveillance
Publication window
Jan 1, 2024 – Dec 31, 2024
Eligibility
Research articles; reviews excluded
Citation window
18 months post-publication
18m citation range
26–204
Data source
OpenAlex · Retrieved Jul 2026
License
CC BY 4.0

Rankings

20 papers ranked by 18-month citation count

#1 of 4,778
20418m citations

Safety and efficacy of malaria vaccine candidate R21/Matrix-M in African children: a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial

Mehreen S Datoo et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(23)02511-4

Adrian V. S. HillUniversity of Oxford, United Kingdom

R21/Matrix-M vaccinemalaria vaccineAfrican childrenphase 3 trialRandomized controlled trialvaccine efficacyvaccine safetyMatrix-M adjuvantPlasmodium falciparumclinical malariaseasonal malaria transmissionparasitemiaImmunization schedulebooster doseprotective efficacyadverse eventsimmunogenicityanti-circumsporozoite antibodies
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#2 of 4,778
7918m citations

Emergence, transmission dynamics and mechanisms of artemisinin partial resistance in malaria parasites in Africa

Philip J Rosenthal et al.Nature Reviews Microbiology202410.1038/s41579-024-01008-2

Philip J. RosenthalUniversity of California, San Francisco, United States

artemisinin partial resistancehuman malaria parasitesAfricamalaria transmission dynamicsresistance mechanismsemergencePlasmodium falciparumantimalarial drug resistancekelch13 mutationsArtemisinin-based combination therapyparasite clearanceMolecular markersantimalarial resistance surveillancegenomic epidemiology
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#3 of 4,778
7618m citations

Evidence of artemisinin partial resistance in northwestern Tanzania: clinical and molecular markers of resistance

Deus S Ishengoma et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(24)00362-1

Deus S IshengomaNational Institute for Medical Research, Tanzania

artemisinin partial resistancepfkelch13 R561H mutationartemether-lumefantrineartesunate-amodiaquinePlasmodium falciparumTherapeutic efficacy studyday 3 parasitaemiaparasite clearance half-lifePCR-corrected cure ratepfk13 geneextended haplotypesgenomic surveillanceKagera region Tanzaniapersistent parasitaemiaantimalarial drug resistanceWHO standard protocol
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#4 of 4,778
6018m citations

Subcutaneous Administration of a Monoclonal Antibody to Prevent Malaria

Kassoum Kayentao et al.New England Journal of Medicine202410.1056/nejmoa2312775

Kassoum KayentaoUniversity of Sciences, Techniques, and Technologies of Bamako, Mali

Monoclonal antibodiessubcutaneous administrationmalaria preventionPlasmodium falciparum infectionmalaria-endemic settingblood smear detectionclinical malariatime-to-event analysis150-mg dose300-mg doseefficacy assessment6-month follow-upprophylactic intervention
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#5 of 4,778
4518m citations

Feasibility, safety, and impact of the RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine when implemented through national immunisation programmes: evaluation of cluster-randomised introduction of the vaccine in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi

Kwaku Poku Asante et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(24)00004-7

Kwaku Poku Asante, Paul Milligan, Aaron M. SamuelsKintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana

RTS,S/AS01E vaccinecluster-randomised introductionnational immunisation programmespilot implementation schemesvaccine safety signalsmeningitiscerebral malariasex-differential mortalityfour-dose vaccination schedulehospital admission with severe malariaall-cause mortalityvaccination coveragesentinel hospital surveillanceIncidence rate ratioage-eligible cohortsvaccine impact evaluationmoderate-to-high malaria transmission areasWHO recommendationimplementation feasibilityCluster-randomized trial
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#6 of 4,778
3818m citations

Safety and efficacy of the blood-stage malaria vaccine RH5.1/Matrix-M in Burkina Faso: interim results of a double-blind, randomised, controlled, phase 2b trial in children

Hamtandi M Natama et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(24)00752-7

Angela M. MinassianInstitut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Burkina Faso

RH5.1/Matrix-Mblood-stage malaria vaccinePlasmodium falciparumRH5.1Matrix-M adjuvantDelayed third dose regimenclinical malariaanti-RH5.1 serum IgGgrowth inhibition activityvaccine efficacyseasonal malaria transmissionRabivax-Sphase 2b trialpre-erythrocytic vaccinesR21/Matrix-M vaccineRTS,S/AS01blood-stage immunityintramuscular vaccination0, 1, and 5 month regimen0, 1, and 2 month regimen
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#7 of 4,778
3718m citations

Effect of a spatial repellent on malaria incidence in an area of western Kenya characterised by high malaria transmission, insecticide resistance, and universal coverage of insecticide treated nets (part of the AEGIS Consortium): a cluster-randomised, controlled trial

Eric O Ochomo et al.The Lancet202410.1016/s0140-6736(24)02253-0

Nicole L. AcheeKenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya

Spatial repellentmalaria incidencewestern Kenyahigh malaria transmissioninsecticide resistanceInsecticide-treated netuniversal coverageAEGIS ConsortiumCluster-randomized trial
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#9 of 4,778
3418m citations

Influence of environmental, geographic, socio-demographic, and epidemiological factors on presence of malaria at the community level in two continents

Oswaldo C Villena et al.Scientific Reports202410.1038/s41598-024-67452-5

Oswaldo C. VillenaGeorgetown University, United States

Plasmodium falciparumPlasmodium vivaxcross-sectional malaria survey datacommunity-level malaria presencegeneralized linear modelsclassification and regression treestemperature-malaria unimodal relationshipprecipitation-malaria unimodal relationshipmalaria resurgence post-2012economic and development indicatorsmosquito-borne disease transmission dynamicsvector abundance and distributionlong-term open-source dataAfrica malariaAsia malariamalaria prevention
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#11 of 4,778
3318m citations

Blood-stage malaria vaccine candidate RH5.1/Matrix-M in healthy Tanzanian adults and children; an open-label, non-randomised, first-in-human, single-centre, phase 1b trial

Sarah E Silk et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(24)00312-8

Angela M. MinassianUniversity of Oxford, United Kingdom

RH5.1Matrix-M adjuvantblood-stage malaria vaccinePlasmodium falciparumphase 1b trialdose-escalationage de-escalationdelayed-fractional third dose regimenanti-RH5.1 serum IgGgrowth inhibition activityGIAantibody avidityRH5-specific T cell responsesmalaria-endemic populationTanzanian childrenpre-erythrocytic vaccinespolyclonal IgGnon-human primate challenge modelDelayed third dose regimenmalaria pre-exposure
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#12 of 4,778
3218m citations

A single mutation G454A in the P450 <i>CYP9K1</i> drives pyrethroid resistance in the major malaria vector <i>Anopheles funestus</i> reducing bed net efficacy

Carlos S Djoko Tagne et al.Genetics202410.1093/genetics/iyae181

Carlos S. Djoko Tagne, Charles S. WondjiCentre for Research in Infectious Diseases (CRID), Cameroon

G454A mutationCyp9k1Cytochrome P450pyrethroid resistanceAnopheles funestusmetabolic resistanceInsecticide-treated netdeltamethrin metabolismtype II pyrethroidstype I pyrethroidshaplotype selectiontransgenic Drosophila melanogasterheterologous expressionexperimental hut trialsDNA-based resistance assayPositive selectionfield-lab-field approach
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#13 of 4,778
3118m citations

The potential of gene drives in malaria vector species to control malaria in African environments

Penelope A Hancock, Ace North et al.Nature Communications202410.1038/s41467-024-53065-z

Penelope A. HancockImperial College London, United Kingdom

gene drivesmalaria vector speciespopulation suppressionWest Africavector abundancemalaria infection prevalenceclinical casesRTS,S/AS01E vaccinePyrethroid-PBO bednetCombination interventiondata-driven modelvector ecologyepidemiological factorsmalaria transmissiongene drive releasesAfrican environmentsintervention strategies
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#14 of 4,778
2918m citations

Discovery of Knock‐Down Resistance in the Major African Malaria Vector <i>Anopheles funestus</i>

Joel O Odero et al.Molecular Ecology202410.1111/mec.17542

Joel O. Odero, Fredros O. OkumuIfakara Health Institute, Tanzania

Knock-down resistanceAnopheles funestusvoltage-gated sodium channelVgsc geneinsecticide resistancemalaria vectorL976F mutationP1842S mutationDDTpyrethroiddeltamethrinwhole-genome sequencinglinkage disequilibriumSelective sweepdetoxification enzymesTanzania populationssurvivorship associationAnopheles gambiaevector control
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#15 of 4,778
2818m citations

Early morning anopheline mosquito biting, a potential driver of malaria transmission in Busia County, western Kenya

Julius I Odero et al.Malaria Journal202410.1186/s12936-024-04893-3

Julius I. OderoKenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya

Insecticide-treated netAnopheles gambiae complexAnopheles funestushuman landing catchesEarly morning bitingindoor versus outdoor bitinghuman activity patternsITN protection gapsperi-domestic transmissionhuman-vector interactionresidual malaria transmissionBusia Countyvector biting profileshourly biting activitydirect observation methods
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#16 of 4,778
2818m citations

Prevalence of mutations associated with artemisinin partial resistance and sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine resistance in 13 regions in Tanzania in 2021: a cross-sectional survey

Jonathan J Juliano et al.The Lancet Microbe202410.1016/s2666-5247(24)00160-5

Deus S. IshengomaUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States

artemisinin partial resistancepfk13 genepfkelch13 R561H mutationsulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistancemolecular inversion probesshort-read whole-genome sequencingdihydrofolate reductase Ile164Leu mutationcrt K76T mutationmdr1 Asn86Tyr allelelumefantrine sensitivitychloroquine resistanceamodiaquine resistancehaplotype analysisPfK13 R622I mutationPfK13 A675V mutationregional spreadmultiple emergencesDried blood spotasymptomatic malariachemoprevention
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#18 of 4,778
2718m citations

Policy uptake and implementation of the RTS,S/AS01 malaria vaccine in sub-Saharan African countries: status 2 years following the WHO recommendation

Caroline Bonareri Osoro et al.BMJ Global Health202410.1136/bmjgh-2023-014719

Caroline B. OsoroKenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya

RTS,S/AS01R21/Matrix-M vaccinemalaria vaccineWHO recommendationsub-Saharan Africapolicy uptakevaccine implementationroutine immunisation servicesmalaria vaccine pilotGhanaKenyaMalawiCameroonBurkina FasoUgandaImmunization scheduleGlobal Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizationvaccine availabilityphased vaccine introductionnational malaria policies
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#19 of 4,778
2718m citations

The public health impact and cost-effectiveness of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine: a mathematical modelling study

Nora Schmit et al.The Lancet Infectious Diseases202410.1016/s1473-3099(23)00816-2

Nora SchmitImperial College London, United Kingdom

R21/Matrix-M vaccinePlasmodium falciparumanti-circumsporozoite antibodiessurrogate of protectionsemi-mechanistic modelmathematical transmission modelphase 2b trialphase 3 trialNanoro, Burkina Fasoparasite prevalence in children aged 2–10 yearsfour-dose regimenage-based implementationseasonal implementationperennial settingsdisability-adjusted life-yearscost-effectivenessincremental cost per DALY avertedvaccine dose pricesub-Saharan Africaclinical malaria
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#20 of 4,778
2618m citations

Malaria in under-five children: prevalence and multi-factor analysis of high-risk African countries

Jackline Vicent Mbishi et al.BMC Public Health202410.1186/s12889-024-19206-1

Jackline Vicent MbishiMuhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania

under-five childrensub-Saharan AfricaMalaria Indicator Surveysmodified Poisson regressionmaternal educationFansidar uptake during pregnancysocioeconomic statusrural residencyurban residencychild agehousehold wealth indexcountry-specific malaria variationtargeted malaria prevention strategies
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Dominant research themes and year-over-year shifts in Malaria Research and Control

What Topics Define the Class of 2026 in Malaria Research and Control?

Malaria research in the Class of 2026 is heavily anchored by Plasmodium falciparum biology and therapeutic countermeasures, representing nearly half of all concept mentions (norm_freq 0.46). Crucially, the field is driving intensive investigation into antimalarial drug resistance (norm_freq 0.14) and artemisinin partial resistance, particularly tracking kelch13 mutations such as PfK13 A675V and R561H across endemic regions. In parallel, vector control and transmission intervention remain vital pillars, represented by vector species Anopheles funestus, Anopheles arabiensis, and Anopheles gambiae, alongside frontline physical barriers like insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying. Surveillance methods are advancing rapidly with point-of-care testing, dried blood spot sampling, and genomic surveillance using pooled deep sequencing to map parasite genetic diversity and selective sweeps. Finally, immunization approaches demonstrate strong momentum, highlighted by the deployment of the R21/Matrix-M vaccine, RTS,S/AS01, Matrix-M adjuvant formulations, and anti-circumsporozoite monoclonal antibodies aimed at achieving durable protective immunity.

Leading research themes
Leading research themes

How Did Topics Shift from the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 in Malaria Research?

Comparing the Class of 2025 to the Class of 2026 reveals significant momentum toward operational resistance monitoring and novel intervention deployment. Research focusing on antimalarial drug resistance grew more than two-fold (normalized frequency rising from 0.06 to 0.14), while studies on insecticide resistance surged five-fold (0.02 to 0.10). Breakthrough vaccine developments saw dramatic uptake, with publications on the R21/Matrix-M vaccine increasing four-fold (0.02 to 0.08) alongside renewed focus on Matrix-M adjuvant technology and RTS,S/AS01 rollout schedules. Emerging cohorts introduced dedicated studies on monoclonal antibodies, anti-circumsporozoite antibodies, and blood-stage targets like RH5.1, reflecting a shift toward targeted biologics. Field diagnostics also saw major shifts with the arrival of HRP2-based rapid diagnostic tests to counter gene deletions. Conversely, while foundational parasite species work on Plasmodium falciparum remained dominant, general genomic surveillance and traditional pyrethroid resistance monitoring stabilized or slightly declined as focus pivoted toward targeted resistance mechanism profiling.

How topics shifted year over year
How topics shifted year over year
Methodology

PRI identifies high-impact research using a transparent, topic-agnostic framework applied consistently across scientific domains. Bibliographic records are drawn from OpenAlex, including publication dates, citation relationships, and document types.

This ranking covers the Class of 2026 cohort: journal articles published in 2024. Reviews and other non-article document types are excluded to ensure comparability.

Research impact is quantified with an 18-month post-publication citation window—the number of citing works published within 18 months of each paper's publication date. This metric captures early impact while controlling for publication age.

An LLM-based relevance classifier then reviews each candidate's title and abstract to confirm substantive alignment with the target domain. Only papers classified as relevant appear in the final ranking.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459

Full methodologyGitHubbioRxiv preprint

Cite this ranking

Pepkio Research Index (PRI). Topics and Trends in Most Cited Malaria Research and Control Papers, Class of 2026. https://pri.pepkio.com/top-papers/malaria-research-and-control/2026. Accessed 2026-07-23.

Zheng Su, Tinsley Li, Thematic Shifts in Early-High-Impact Cancer Genomics and Diagnostics Research: A Bibliometric and Semantic Analysis. bioRxiv 2026.07.04.736459; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.07.04.736459