The University of Chicago received a $506,394 federal Project Grant awarded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (CFDA 93.855 - Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) to investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which bacterial cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs) activate the NLRP3 inflammasome, a critical signaling complex for the immune response. Specifically, the research aims to define the motifs and host factors involved in CDC-mediated reorganization of host organelles to stimulate NLRP3 inflammasome signaling, as well as characterize the abilities of certain CDCs to evade this inflammasome activation. The grant award, effective from January 2025 through December 2029, will leverage a combination of live cell imaging, mass spectrometry, and infection models to advance the understanding of CDCs as potential therapeutic targets for mitigating a broad range of infectious diseases.
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