The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) awarded a $431,143 Project Grant (CFDA 93.855 - Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research) to Tufts University School of Medicine to develop methods for continuous in vitro propagation of the Babesia microti parasite. The research aims to address the growing risk of human babesiosis in the Northeastern U.S. due to the increasing prevalence of B. microti, which can cause relapsing disease that is difficult to treat due to drug resistance. The grant supports three key objectives: (1) propagating B. microti within tick cell lines, (2) testing the capacity for B. microti to replicate on erythrocyte lysate substrates, and (3) using a phylogenetic metabolomics approach to predict and test physiological requirements for in vitro culture of the parasite within erythrocytes. If successful, the research would enable the development of genetic tools for B. microti, potentially leading to new treatment strategies for this emerging infectious disease.
Generated 3/4/25, 2:36 AM