Antibodies and vaginal bacteria in HPV and cervical cell changes
Official title: Antibody bound bacteria during HPV infection and cervical dysplasia
Funded at Case Western Reserve University · NIH-11164509 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This research looks at how antibodies attach to vaginal bacteria in people with HPV or different levels of cervical cell changes to better understand why some infections clear and others progress.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Case Western Reserve University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | August 8, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $169,540 |
| NIH project number | 5R21CA289927-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11164509 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People eligible would include those with HPV infection or diagnosed cervical dysplasia (CIN1–CIN3) as well as people without HPV for comparison.
✕Less likely to help
People without a cervix, men, or anyone seeking immediate therapeutic treatment for cervical cancer are unlikely to receive direct medical benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you join, researchers will collect vaginal and cervical samples from people with and without HPV and from those with normal, low-grade, or high-grade cervical changes. They will separate bacteria that have antibodies attached from those that do not, then identify which microbes and microbial functions are present using laboratory tests and genetic sequencing. The team will compare the patterns of antibody-bound and unbound bacteria across the different groups to find links with HPV infection and cervical lesion severity. Results will be used to look for markers that might predict outcomes or point to new prevention approaches.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal bacterial or immune markers that help predict whether HPV will clear or progress and eventually guide new prevention or treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research links the vaginal microbiome to HPV outcomes, but profiling antibody-bound versus unbound bacteria in the female reproductive tract is a relatively new and not yet well-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Langel, Stephanie N. — Case Western Reserve University
- Study coordinator: Langel, Stephanie N.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Antibodies and vaginal bacteria in HPV-related cervical changes
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.