Federal Project Grant Summary

The University of Vermont & State Agricultural College received a $449,393 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855), effective February 20, 2026 through January 31, 2028. This biomedical research project investigates the differential invasive capacity of Providencia alcalifaciens, a bacterium associated with foodborne diarrheal outbreaks, to identify the genetic and molecular basis of pathogenicity. The funded research encompasses two specific aims: (1) comparative genomic and molecular analysis to determine whether nine genes identified in the Type III secretion system (T3SS) cluster drive invasiveness in P. alcalifaciens using in silico, in vitro, and cellular analysis methods, and (2) establishment of an oral-challenge murine model to assess bacterial colonization and host response upon infection with invasive and non-invasive isolates.

This project represents the first systematic investigation of P. alcalifaciens virulence determinants and pathogenic mechanisms, with potential to advance understanding of enterobacterial infections and inform strategies for prevention and treatment of bacterial gastroenteritis. The research will be conducted at the University of Vermont's Burlington, Vermont campus, leveraging the institution's established research infrastructure and expertise in infectious disease research supported through the NIH grant portfolio.