The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $200,000 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to the University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT) to investigate the risk of nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infections in the aftermath of the 2023 Lahaina, Maui wildfires. The research aims to study the environmental diversity and spread of NTM through sampling of wildfire ash, smoke, water, soil, and dust. By comparing NTM species found after the Lahaina fire to pre-existing data, the project seeks to elucidate how wildfire events and resulting environmental changes may increase vulnerability to NTM lung disease, not just for Lahaina residents, but also first responders and those involved in rebuilding efforts. The award will support quantitative microbiological, molecular, ecological, and genomic analyses to be conducted over the one-year project period from December 2023 to November 2024.
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