Creating a new vaccine to prevent diarrhea caused by ETEC bacteria in children
Official title: Development of MecVax, a Cross Protective Subunit Vaccine for ETEC
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11082994 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new vaccine called MecVax to help protect young children from diarrhea caused by a common germ, aiming to make them healthier and safer in places where this is a big problem.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,129,161 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI177144-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11082994 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children under 5 years old, particularly those living in developing countries where ETEC infections are prevalent.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than 5 years or those who do not reside in areas affected by ETEC-related diarrhea may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop MecVax, a new vaccine designed to protect children from diarrhea caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), a leading cause of illness and death in young children in developing countries. The project combines academic and industrial expertise to accelerate the vaccine's development, focusing on creating a multivalent subunit vaccine that targets multiple strains of ETEC. By utilizing innovative vaccine technology, the researchers hope to provide a safe and effective solution to reduce the incidence of diarrhea and its associated complications in children under 5 years old.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the number of diarrhea cases and related deaths in young children, improving their health and development.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in developing vaccines for similar bacterial infections, indicating a potential for success with this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Weiping — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Weiping
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.