Potassium utilization and transcriptomic profiling in C. Auris during skin colonization

Active Project Grant Awarded Last action

Award ID
F31AI200256
Recipient
Awarding agency
Obligated
$76,612

Award facts

Assistance listing
93.855 Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research
Completion date 0% complete
Originally
Place of performance
Madison, WI 53715, USA

Award details come from USAspending.gov.

Description

As the agency reported it.

Abstract
Candida (CANDIDOZYMA) auris is a fungal pathogen that was initially discovered in 2009 and has since been identified as an urgent public health threat. In recent years, IT has been reported that infection rates have increased five-fold in the united states alone. This impresses the urgency of research into C. Auris transmission and pathogenesis. IT is considered particularly hazardous due to its increased incidence of multidrug resistance, with many isolates being resistant to multiple classes of antifungal drugs. IT is also associated with life-threatening invasive infections with mortality rates as high as ~35%. C. Auris has an ability to spread person-to-person effectively, especially within healthcare settings, and is very adept at colonizing skin. Currently there are no methods to eliminate C. Auris from the skin of patients with colonization. The objective of this research is to define molecular mechanisms governing C. Auris survival and growth on the nutrient-limited landscape of human skin to identify novel therapeutic targets. The first aim of this project is to test the hypothesis that disruption of K+ uptake, an essential cation for cellular function, is a critical and targetable mechanism that can be used to prevent skin colonization. We hypothesize that efficient uptake of potassium (K+) is critical to maintaining a presence on the skin. This is based on the finding that genetic disruption of a putative K+ channel, TRK1, diminishes the ability of C. Auris to effectively grow and form biofilms. TRK1 lacks genetic homology to known human K+ channels, making IT a potential drug target. In the second aim, we propose to search for new pathways and potential targets by analyzing the transcriptional patterns of C. Auris after being inoculated on EX vivo human skin. We plan to use RNA sequencing technology to analyze the gene expression dynamics over time. This will reveal key genes and regulatory networks crucial for survival in this unique niche that can open future avenues of research into C. Auris colonization. The reduced availability of effective treatment options emphasizes the critical need for further research into prevention, decolonization, and treatment strategies. This project and training plan will take place at the university of wisconsin-madison, a highly collaborative environment with extensive expertise in mycology and infectious diseases. With the supervision and CO- mentorship of DR. Jeniel nett (fungal pathogenesis) and DR. Matt anderson (fungal genetics), we have designed a training plan that integrates the learning of new technical skills essential to this project as well as numerous opportunities for professional development. This proposal will lay the foundation for a successful career as a future independent investigator.

Transactions

Action Obligated Date
Amendment $38,306
Amendment $38,306
Original award $0

Quick answers

Who received award F31AI200256?

F31AI200256 was awarded to University Of Wisconsin System by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (National Institutes of Health) on December 2, 2026.

How much is award F31AI200256 worth?

$76,612 has been obligated on F31AI200256.

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