P. falciparum gametocytes- the parasite's transmission stage- develop while sequestered in the bone marrow, but the genes controlling this process, and how bone marrow, blood and other tissues shape gametocyte development, remain poorly understood. We are studying how parasites isolated from different tissues differ in their growth, gametocyte production and gene expression, including the characterisation of slow-growing clinical isolates, to inform whole-parasite vaccine development. This work is supported by the Georg Forster Research Fellowship of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation at Heidelberg University Hospital, hosted by Prof. Dr. Friedrich Frischknecht.