Federal Grant Award Summary

East Carolina University was awarded $226,500 by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 9, 2026, for a project completion deadline of January 31, 2028. The award supports biomedical research investigating how the Yersinia pestis inner membrane protein YbtX and competition for host zinc influence the progression of pneumonic plague, the most lethal form of plague. Research activities will characterize the relationship between zinc depletion and inflammation during infection, and will employ a murine intranasal infection model to evaluate how alterations in the host zinc and calprotectin balance affect pulmonary inflammatory responses.

The project delivers original research findings on the molecular mechanisms underlying pneumonic plague pathogenesis, with specific focus on understanding how bacterial zinc acquisition systems contribute to the hyper-inflammatory response that drives disease lethality. By examining the role of YbtX-mediated zinc import and calprotectin-dependent inflammatory responses, the research will generate scientific knowledge applicable to understanding infectious disease mechanisms and may inform future therapeutic interventions for this rapidly progressive, high-mortality infection.