Early infection proteins of Valley Fever as vaccine and diagnostic targets
Official title: Early in vivo Expressed Antigens and their Role in Virulence, Immune Response, and Vaccines for Coccidioidomycosis
Funded at Northern Arizona University · NIH-11160468 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are identifying proteins made early in Valley Fever infections to find better vaccines and tests for people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northern Arizona University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flagstaff, United States) |
| Project start | August 24, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,530,461 |
| NIH project number | 5U19AI166058-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11160468 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with recent or active Valley Fever infections seen at participating clinics in endemic areas who can provide blood or immune samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without Valley Fever, with unrelated infections, or far outside the study clinics are unlikely to participate or directly benefit from sample collection.
What this research studies
If you get Valley Fever (Valley Fever), this project looks at which fungal genes turn on right when infection begins and whether those proteins drive disease. The team will turn off suspect fungal genes using CRISPR and test how those changes affect disease in wax worm, mouse, and non-human primate models. They will also collect immune samples from people at several clinics and use deep sequencing to map the T cell receptors that respond to these early proteins. Findings will guide new vaccine designs and improved diagnostic tests that detect infection earlier or more accurately.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could identify targets that lead to new vaccines and more accurate early diagnostic tests for Valley Fever.
How similar studies have gone: Techniques like CRISPR gene knockout and T cell receptor sequencing have worked in other infections, but effective vaccines for Valley Fever remain experimental and require this focused work.
Where this research is happening
-
Northern Arizona University
Flagstaff, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Keim, Paul Stephen — Northern Arizona University
- Study coordinator: Keim, Paul Stephen
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.