Federal Grant Award Summary

Iowa State University of Science and Technology received a $453,063 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 13, 2026, with completion expected January 31, 2028. The project, "Overcoming Innate Drug Efflux Systems to Expand Anthelmintic Vulnerability," addresses the critical gap in nematode parasite treatment, where no new drug classes have been developed in 40 years. The research aims to identify and characterize transporter messenger RNAs (mRNAs) expressed in nematode parasites in response to anthelmintic drugs and to understand how parasite transporter systems actively expel therapeutic compounds.

The award funds investigative work utilizing CRISPR-edited cell lines optimized for studying nematode transporters, examining drug-transporter binding mechanisms, and evaluating the efficacy of competitive and allosteric inhibitors in blocking nematode transporters. The deliverables include comprehensive research findings on innate transport properties of nematode cells and mechanisms for selectively inhibiting these transporters. These results are expected to direct future studies aimed at overcoming drug resistance in parasitic nematodes, ultimately enabling the development of new anthelmintic drug classes and improved therapeutic options for parasitic infections prevalent globally.