Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison received a $427,625 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), awarded February 2, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. The award funds research to define the role of the YeiH protein in Salmonella pathogenesis, specifically investigating how this protein enables non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) to resist sulfite-induced stress during infection. The research addresses a significant public health concern, as NTS is a leading cause of bacterial foodborne gastroenteritis and foodborne pathogen-related deaths. Sulfites, toxic reactive sulfur species produced by neutrophils during bacterial infection and present in food products as natural metabolites or preservatives, represent a critical survival challenge for enteric pathogens.

The funded research comprises two primary aims designed to elucidate YeiH function in infection and sulfite stress resistance. Aim 1 establishes YeiH's role during infection using animal models of colitis and sepsis, while employing a novel YeiH transcriptional reporter as a sulfite biosensor to map tissue-specific expression patterns during enteric and systemic salmonellosis. Aim 2 determines the molecular mechanisms by which YeiH contributes to sulfite stress resistance, investigating whether the protein functions as a sulfite exporter to enable bacterial survival. These research activities will advance scientific understanding of Salmonella pathogenic mechanisms and may inform development of intervention strategies targeting this foodborne pathogen.