Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Virginia received a $806,000 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on May 11, 2026, with a completion date of April 30, 2031. The award supports investigative research examining the role of secreted bacterial effectors—specifically Type VII secretion systems (T7SS) and their effector proteins—in Group B Streptococcus (GBS)-induced intestinal dysbiosis and subsequent systemic neonatal infection. The research will investigate mechanisms by which GBS T7SS contributes to disruption of the intestinal microbiota, impairment of immune responses, barrier breakdown, and bacterial translocation to the bloodstream in neonates, conditions associated with late-onset GBS disease that carries approximately 15% mortality despite antibiotic treatment.

The research deliverables include scientific findings on GBS pathogenic mechanisms in neonatal intestinal colonization, characterization of T7SS effector toxicity to intestinal epithelium, and mechanistic insights into how bacterial virulence factors promote systemic infection from an intestinal reservoir. The project will be conducted at the University of Virginia's facility in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is expected to advance understanding of neonatal bacterial pathogenesis and inform potential therapeutic interventions for this serious infectious disease.