Estimating how environment and other risk factors influence fungal infections in the U.S.
Official title: Using massive, multi-regional EHR data to estimate the impacts of environmental and other risk factors on fungal disease epidemiology in the U.S.
Funded at University of Missouri Kansas City · NIH-11382847 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses huge electronic health records to understand how environmental factors and patient risk factors affect common fungal infections in diverse U.S. communities.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Missouri Kansas City NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $782,229 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI176770-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382847 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with fungal disease or those at high risk (e.g., immunosuppressed, low-income or rural residents) whose health data could illuminate risk patterns.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without fungal infections or without contributing risk factors may not directly benefit from the findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will analyze deidentified EHR data from a partnership with Oracle/Cerner to study how things like wind, soil, floods, and temperature, along with patient factors such as rural living and access to care, relate to infections like candidiasis, aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, and others. The work spans a large population over multiple regions to identify patterns in where and when fungal diseases occur and which groups are most affected. Findings could inform public health strategies and clinical awareness to better protect high-risk patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could help clinicians and public health teams anticipate outbreaks and tailor prevention and care for people at highest risk of fungal infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research using large EHR datasets has yielded actionable insights into infectious disease risk, though this study applies a broadened fungal focus with a national scale.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Missouri Kansas City
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: White, Theodore C. — University of Missouri Kansas City
- Study coordinator: White, Theodore C.
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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.