Creating altered strains of the scrub typhus bacterium to learn how it causes illness
Generation of Orientia tsutsugamushi mutant strains for pathogenesis research
Researchers will make and test modified forms of the scrub typhus germ to find which parts of the bacterium cause severe illness for people at risk of scrub typhus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Texas Med Br Galveston NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Galveston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248855 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are concerned about scrub typhus, this project aims to change the bacterium that causes it so scientists can identify which genes make it dangerous. The team will create many mutant bacterial strains using genetic tools and check how those mutants behave in cells and animal models. By seeing which changes reduce or increase disease features, researchers hope to pinpoint targets for vaccines or new drugs. This is lab-based work run by scientists at the University of Texas Medical Branch and does not currently treat patients directly.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project does not enroll patients now, but people who live in or travel to regions where scrub typhus is common would be the eventual beneficiaries and potential candidates for future related trials.
Not a fit: People who are currently sick and seeking immediate treatment will not receive direct medical benefit from this laboratory-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to specific bacterial targets for new vaccines or treatments that prevent severe scrub typhus.
How similar studies have performed: Related genetic tools have worked in close relatives of Orientia and early lab tests show feasibility, but creating a genome-wide mutant library for Orientia tsutsugamushi is largely new.
Where this research is happening
Galveston, United States
- University of Texas Med Br Galveston — Galveston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Narra, Hema Prasad — University of Texas Med Br Galveston
- Study coordinator: Narra, Hema Prasad
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 below.