BipA’s role in Yersinia pestis causing pneumonic plague
Official title: Evaluating how BipA contributes to Yersinia pestis pathogenesis during pneumonic plague
Funded at East Carolina University · NIH-11452678 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small NIH-funded project will explore how a bacterial protein called BipA helps Yersinia pestis cause severe lung infection in mice.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | East Carolina University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greenville, United States) |
| Project start | September 2, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $223,957 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI192340-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11452678 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with exposure to Yersinia pestis risk factors or those enrolled in infection biology studies, including basic-science cohorts or future clinical trials related to plague.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not involved in infectious-disease research or without exposure risk are unlikely to benefit from these basic mechanistic studies.
What this research studies
This grant will study BipA, a bacterial protein that helps Yersinia pestis stick to mammalian cells and resist parts of the immune system, to understand how it drives pneumonic plague. Researchers will use bacterial mutants and a mix of lab tests and mouse infection experiments to see what BipA does in the early stages of infection. They will also identify other proteins that BipA controls and that contribute to disease. The goal is to map the chain of events from BipA action to pathogenic outcomes in the lungs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding BipA could point to new targets for vaccines or therapies to prevent or treat pneumonic plague.
How similar studies have gone: Past work on BipA-like regulators in other bacteria has shown they influence virulence, supporting the potential here but human outcomes remain to be demonstrated.
Where this research is happening
-
East Carolina University
Greenville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pechous, Roger D — East Carolina University
- Study coordinator: Pechous, Roger D
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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.