Grant Award Summary

The University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute, Inc. received a $431,591 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to identify host-interacting proteins of Sneathia vaginalis, a bacterium associated with preterm birth, amniotic fluid infections, and cervical cancer. The award, effective June 10, 2026, through May 31, 2028, funds research to characterize surface proteins on S. vaginalis that mediate adhesion to human host cells. The project employs two complementary approaches: mass spectrometry analysis to identify surface proteins expressed by the bacterium, and functional validation through creation of deletion mutant strains tested in host-cell adhesion assays.

The research deliverables will advance understanding of S. vaginalis pathogenesis and commensal interactions by identifying proteins critical to host colonization for the first time. Findings are expected to inform clinical laboratory practices and disease identification strategies, providing a foundation for future therapeutic and diagnostic interventions targeting this emerging pathogen. The work addresses a significant public health gap given the limited knowledge of virulence factors in this recently characterized human pathogen and its association with serious obstetric and gynecological complications.