Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Tennessee received a $200,233 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) for the period June 2, 2026 through May 31, 2028. The award supports research aimed at developing a cross-protective vaccine to control Leptospira infection, a leading zoonotic cause of human morbidity and mortality responsible for an estimated 1.03 million cases and 58,000 deaths annually. Existing bacterin-based vaccines for animals provide incomplete protection and do not prevent renal colonization or urinary shedding, and vaccination of humans is not currently practiced due to vaccine limitations and adverse effects.

The project employs reverse and structural vaccinology approaches utilizing genome sequences and advanced bioinformatics tools to identify conserved antigenic epitopes from Leptospira species. Researchers will confirm surface exposure of identified candidate proteins and evaluate their protective efficacy in animal models (hamsters and mice). The anticipated deliverable is a cocktail-based, safe, and cross-protective vaccine formulation that induces focused protective immune responses and provides long-lasting immunity against Leptospira infection regardless of species or serovar variation. This research approach streamlines traditional antigen discovery processes, reducing timeline and cost while advancing vaccine development capabilities for both human and animal health applications.