Genetic tools to understand scrub typhus bacteria
Development of genetic tools for Orientia tsutsugamushi
This project is creating new genetic methods to learn how the bacterium that causes scrub typhus makes people sick.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Commonwealth University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Richmond, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241991 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone you know is affected by scrub typhus, this work aims to make it easier to study the bug that causes the disease. The team will use genetic techniques (like transposon mutagenesis and allelic exchange) to make marked and deleted versions of Orientia tsutsugamushi and build a catalog of mutants. They will grow and maintain these mutant strains under selection and use fluorescence sorting to enrich and identify variants. These tools will be used in later studies to link specific bacterial genes to how the infection works.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People diagnosed with or recovering from scrub typhus would be the most relevant group to follow this research and might be eligible for future clinical studies that build on these findings.
Not a fit: Patients with unrelated infections or conditions are unlikely to receive any direct benefit from this laboratory-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tools could speed discovery of how the bacterium causes disease and help guide development of better treatments or vaccines.
How similar studies have performed: Genetic mutagenesis and allelic exchange are well-established in many bacteria, but applying these methods to Orientia tsutsugamushi is new and represents an important advance for this understudied pathogen.
Where this research is happening
Richmond, United States
- Virginia Commonwealth University — Richmond, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Carlyon, Jason a — Virginia Commonwealth University
- Study coordinator: Carlyon, Jason a
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.