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Malaria detection
Diagnostic gaps, low-density infections, and parasite gene deletions that can undermine rapid tests.
Kayode Lab · James Madison University
Understanding vector-borne diseases through diagnostics, transmission, and genomics.
From pathogen detection to patterns of transmission.
Discover our researchOur perspective
A pathogen’s genome tells one part of the story. The place and people around it tell another.
Our research brings these perspectives together. We study malaria and other vector-borne infections across laboratory and field settings, asking how they spread, change, and sometimes escape detection. The goal is evidence that helps surveillance reflect what is happening on the ground.
Research
What we investigate
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Genomic surveillance
Parasite diversity and markers of antimalarial drug resistance, studied with molecular and sequencing tools.
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Febrile illness
Approaches that look beyond one pathogen to investigate malaria, arboviruses, and unresolved fever.
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Transmission ecology
How environments, movement, and exposure shape patterns of vector-borne disease.
Lab members
Meet the Lab
Kayode Lab is led by Dr. Tolulope A. Kayode.
Tolulope A. Kayode, PhD
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor of Biology
James Madison University
News
Latest from the lab
Kayode Lab begins at James Madison University
Dr. Tolulope A. Kayode has launched Kayode Lab in JMU’s Department of Biology. The lab brings together epidemiology, diagnostics, and genomics to study vector-borne disease transmission.
Selected publications
Recent and representative work
Open Forum Infectious DiseasesArticle · 2026High-Altitude Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax Reservoirs in Ethiopia Are Not Linked to Recent Traveldoi: 10.1093/ofid/ofag247
PLOS Neglected Tropical DiseasesResearch article · 2025First field evaluation of novel LDH- and HRP2-based rapid tests for Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum malaria diagnosisdoi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0013307
Malaria JournalResearch · 2024Comparison of three rapid diagnostic tests for Plasmodium falciparum diagnosis in Ghanadoi: 10.1186/s12936-024-05073-z
Nature CommunicationsArticle · 2023Emergence and spread of two SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest in Nigeriadoi: 10.1038/s41467-023-36449-5
PLOS ONEResearch article · 2022Molecular profiling of the artemisinin resistance Kelch 13 gene in Plasmodium falciparum from Nigeriadoi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264548
ScienceResearch article · 2021A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africadoi: 10.1126/science.abj4336
Scientific ReportsArticle · 2021Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum dihydropteroate synthetase and dihydrofolate reductase genes in Nigerian children with uncomplicated malaria using high-resolution melting techniquedoi: 10.1038/s41598-020-80017-6
International Journal for ParasitologyArticle · 2021Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) and multidrug-resistant gene 1 (Pfmdr-1) in Nigerian children 10 years post-adoption of artemisinin-based combination treatmentsdoi: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.10.001
The New England Journal of MedicineOriginal article · 2018Genomic Analysis of Lassa Virus during an Increase in Cases in Nigeria in 2018doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1804498
Opportunities
Explore opportunities with Kayode Lab.
For students
JMU students interested in infectious disease, molecular biology, genomics, bioinformatics, or global health are encouraged to get in touch. Tell us about the questions that interest you, the skills you hope to develop, and what you would like to learn through research.
For collaborators
Researchers, clinicians, and public health teams working on vector-borne disease are welcome to discuss collaborations in field studies, diagnostics, and genomic surveillance.