Schistosomiasis resource center

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases awarded the American Foundation For Biological Research, doing business as the Biomedical Research Institute, $1.8 million on July 1, 2026, under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to operate the Schistosomiasis Resource Center.

The Resource Center propagates three medically important Schistosoma species—S. haematobium, S. japonicum, and S. mansoni—and distributes infected hosts (rodents and snails) and life-cycle stage reagents including parasites, eggs, and miracidia to investigators worldwide. The facility maintains a repository of drug-resistant and drug-susceptible S. mansoni lines, including praziquantel-enhanced resistant, praziquantel-enhanced susceptible, and oxamniquine-resistant parasites, to support research on new drug candidates. In 2024, the Resource Center supplied reagents and technical support to over 50 investigators in the United States and abroad.

The award funds continued propagation of multiple Schistosoma species for distribution to the research community, conversion of Biomphalaria glabrata production to a recirculating aquaria system to improve operational efficiencies, and expanded access to viable life-cycle stages. The period of performance runs through June 30, 2031. Work is performed in Rockville, Maryland. This is a five-year project grant under the assistance type of Project Grant.

Abstract

The schistosomiasis resource center (SRC) at the biomedical research institute (BRI) is a production and supply laboratory providing no cost, easily accessible schistosomiasis research reagents to investigators around the world. Schistosomiasis is a helminth parasite transmitted by freshwater snails in the tropical regions of the world, causing disease in over 200 million people. There is no vaccine to protect against schistosomiasis and practitioners rely on a single drug, praziquantel (PZQ) for chemotherapy. Therefore, there is a critical need for additional basic and applied research efforts that will help reduce or eliminate infection. The SRC propagates three of the medically important species, schistosoma haematobium, s.japonicum and s.mansoni and provides infected hosts (rodents and snails), and life cycle stage reagents including schistosomes, eggs and miracidia to the global research community. Under contract with the niaid-NIH since the 1990S, the SRC's long-standing mission is to maintain a centralized, cost-efficient resource facility, which mitigates the financial and labor-intensive burden of schistosoma propagation for individual investigators. In 2024, the SRC supplied reagents and technical support to over 50 investigators in the U.S. And abroad. We also function as a repository and distributor of unique s.mansoni lines: PZQ-enhanced resistant, PZQ-enhanced susceptible, and oxamniquine (OXA)- resistant parasites. Because PZQ remains the only anti-helminthic widely available for clinical use, maintenance of the PZQ and OXA lines will benefit ongoing studies examining new drug candidates. The objectives of this proposal are 1) continue to propagate multiple schistosoma species for distribution of critical reagents to the research community, 2) convert biomphalaria glabrata (nmri) production to a recirculating aquaria system (RAS) to improve efficiencies, and 3) expand access to viable life cycle stages to enable new methodologies and discoveries. Recent progress in the schistosomiasis field by scientists utilizing the SRC includes the long-awaited elucidation of PZQ's mechanism of action, the complete mitogenome sequence for bulinus truncatus, and the development of "schistoscope" a mobile phone- based microscope for s.haematobium EGG detection in urine. NIH R24 funding will help secure the continuity and availability of low-cost research resources for critical projects advancing our knowledge of schistosoma.