Copper scavenging in fungal pathogens: how fungi grab copper to grow
Official title: Copper scavenging mechanisms in fungal pathogens
Funded at Texas State University · NIH-11429722 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will study how fungal pathogens grab copper from their environment to grow, using a model system and lab studies relevant to infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Marcos, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $399,248 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM165814-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11429722 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable for this basic science grant; no direct patient participation is described.
✕Less likely to help
There is no direct patient participation or benefit in this basic science project.
What this research studies
This project aims to understand how fungi acquire essential copper ions when they infect a host. Researchers will examine secreted metal-binding molecules and related proteins using biochemical and biophysical methods, along with cell biology approaches in bacterial and fungal systems. The work will focus on a copper-scavenging pathway in a fur-bearing model organism and compare it to known copper-related proteins to reveal how fungi survive in copper-poor host environments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better knowledge of copper acquisition by pathogenic fungi could lead to new strategies to limit infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has identified metal-scavenging strategies in fungi, suggesting this approach could yield meaningful insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas State University
San Marcos, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peterson, Ryan Loren — Texas State University
- Study coordinator: Peterson, Ryan Loren
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.