Ecology of flea immunity and how it shapes disease risk
Official title: Ecological immunology of a flea vector (Ctenocephalides felis)
Funded at Georgia Southern University · NIH-11348148 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how fleas’ own biology and living conditions affect their ability to fight bacterial infections that can make people sick.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Southern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Statesboro, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $142,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI170530-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11348148 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patient enrollment; this is a basic science project on fleas and their immunity.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or benefit; the work is on flea biology.
What this research studies
Fleas spread serious diseases like plague and murine typhus, and this study explores how factors such as sex, age, prior infections, diet, gut microbes, and exposure to stressors influence their immune defenses. Researchers will compare adult fleas to see how intrinsic factors and larval environments shape the strength of their antibacterial responses. By studying natural variation in flea immunity, the work aims to reveal why some fleas are better at transmitting pathogens than others. The findings could improve our understanding of disease risk and guide future control strategies in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A better grasp of flea immunity could lead to improved methods to prevent flea-borne diseases in humans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous vector-immunity studies show that ecological factors can shape immune responses, but this project directly links ecological variables in fleas to antibacterial defenses.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Brown, Lisa Diane — Georgia Southern University
- Study coordinator: Brown, Lisa Diane
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.