How bile and gut environment affect Shigella’s harmful tactics
Official title: Mechanistic determination of host environmental impacts on Shigella virulence
Funded at Utah State University · NIH-11347119 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A researcher is studying how the environment inside the gut, especially bile, changes how Shigella bacteria cause disease in people, which could lead to better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Logan, United States) |
| Project start | June 22, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $601,319 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AI198559-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11347119 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not a patient-facing trial yet; results may inform future diagnostics or treatments for people at risk of Shigella infection.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not guaranteed during this basic science project during its early phases.
What this research studies
This project looks at how Shigella uses its type three secretion system to inject harmful proteins into human cells and how gut conditions like bile influence this process. By studying the interaction between bile salts and the T3SS components, researchers aim to uncover what makes Shigella so infectious. The findings could point to new ways to prevent or treat severe dysentery in patients, especially in children. The work involves lab studies that simulate human gut conditions and analyze the bacterial response to those conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could reveal targets to block Shigella infection or reduce its severity, guiding new therapies or preventive strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows T3SS interactions with bile influence Shigella virulence, supporting a plausible impact but with ongoing questions.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State University
Logan, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dickenson, Nicholas E — Utah State University
- Study coordinator: Dickenson, Nicholas E
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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.