How Candida albicans adapts in the mouth versus the bloodstream
Tissue specific immunity to fungal infections
The team is studying how the fungus Candida albicans changes its proteins to survive and cause infections in the mouth compared with invasive (bloodstream) infections, which could help people who get recurring or severe yeast infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hackensack University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hackensack, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11237118 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers are looking at a fungal protein called Gcn5 that can change other fungal proteins and may help Candida survive in different parts of the body. They will use laboratory experiments and mouse infection models to see which proteins are modified during oral versus invasive infections. The work will test whether blocking Gcn5 or its targets affects the fungus’s ability to resist drugs and cause disease. Results could point to new targets for medicines or prevention strategies against both mouth and invasive Candida infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have recurrent oral thrush, frequent vaginal yeast infections, or a history of invasive candidiasis are the patients most likely to benefit from treatments that could arise from this research.
Not a fit: Patients with infections caused by other kinds of fungi or by bacteria, or those with one-time, mild yeast infections, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to prevent or treat mucosal and invasive Candida infections by targeting fungal acetylation pathways.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory and animal studies show that acetylation enzymes like Gcn5 can affect fungal virulence and drug resistance, but applying this to organ-specific differences in infection is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Hackensack, United States
- Hackensack University Medical Center — Hackensack, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chauhan, Neeraj — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Chauhan, Neeraj
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.