Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $435,875 Project Grant under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to the Trustees of Indiana University, doing business as Indiana University Indianapolis, effective June 9, 2026, with an ultimate completion date of May 31, 2028. The award supports research to develop methods for assessing gene function in Culicoides biting midges (no-see-ums) through the application of RNA interference (RNAi)-based gene silencing technology. The research will evaluate the use of interfering RNA produced and delivered via Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker's yeast) to silence genes in Culicoides species, with testing conducted on C. sonorensis, the only human disease vector midge species successfully cultured in laboratory settings.

This research addresses the urgent public health threat posed by Culicoides-transmitted diseases, particularly Oropouche virus, which causes febrile illness with potential neurological complications and has demonstrated teratogenic effects similar to Zika virus. The project aims to develop ecofriendly, species-specific insecticide alternatives to combat emerging insecticide resistance and the deleterious effects of conventional insecticides on non-target organisms. The work will target genes conserved across multiple Culicoides species to inform the long-term goal of translating RNAi-based insect gene silencing technology from laboratory research to field-based vector control applications.