Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded $422,125 to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees through the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) on February 13, 2026, with completion targeted for January 31, 2028. This Project Grant supports research to identify and characterize antimicrobial factors derived from the nasal microbiome that inhibit Staphylococcus aureus (SA) colonization. The research leverages preliminary findings demonstrating that nasal Klebsiella species potently suppress SA survival through contact-independent mechanisms involving small, cationic proteinaceous molecules. The primary deliverables include purification and identification of anti-SA proteins and polypeptides from Klebsiella culture media, with downstream characterization of their mechanisms of action and potential therapeutic applications to suppress or eliminate SA nasal carriage.

This research addresses the significant public health challenge of SA nasal carriage, which serves as a reservoir for transmission and contributes to numerous clinical infections including wound infections, surgical site infections, and severe pneumonia. By developing new approaches to decolonize SA carriers through exploitation of naturally occurring antimicrobial factors, the research directly supports NIAID's mission to advance understanding of infectious disease mechanisms and develop innovative interventions to improve health outcomes.