Project Grant R01AI193169

Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded the University of Utah $708,155 under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on June 12, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. This Project Grant funds research aimed at developing therapeutic interventions to block dissemination and treat disseminated Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis, a major cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients. The research focuses on targeting a specific morphotype of C. neoformans cells known as "seed cells" that exhibit enhanced ability to disseminate to extrapulmonary organs, including the brain. The project will elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying seed cell formation and develop strategies to disrupt this morphotype, thereby preventing the disseminated fungal infection that drives patient mortality.

The award supports basic and translational research that builds upon preliminary findings identifying phosphate-responsive pathways that induce seed cell formation through the transcription factor PHO4. The University of Utah's Office of Sponsored Projects will conduct this research in Salt Lake City, generating scientific knowledge and therapeutic candidates to improve clinical outcomes for patients with life-threatening fungal meningitis. This funding represents NIAID's commitment to investigator-initiated biomedical research addressing infectious diseases of significant public health concern, particularly in vulnerable populations with compromised immune function.