Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Michigan received a $411,780 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective February 3, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2028. The award supports research focused on deciphering the virulence determinants of human-pathogenic atypical Toxoplasma gondii strains, a parasitic pathogen identified by the CDC as the second leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States. The research addresses a significant public health gap, as highly virulent T. gondii strains prevalent in South America have caused fatal toxoplasmosis outbreaks in otherwise healthy individuals, yet the molecular and genomic basis of their pathogenicity remains largely unknown.

The project delivers two primary research products: (1) characterization of the pathogenic potential of atypical T. gondii strains using an in vivo laboratory rat model, coupled with phylogenetic and comparative genomic analyses to identify known and novel virulence factors; and (2) implementation of CRISPR/Cas9-based functional genomic screening—both in vivo and in vitro—to uncover previously unidentified virulence determinants in an atypical strain associated with documented human fatality. Collectively, these research deliverables will provide insights into the molecular mechanisms driving high-pathogenic T. gondii outbreaks in human populations and contribute to enhanced understanding necessary for therapeutic development and outbreak prevention strategies.