How Candida glabrata becomes resistant to echinocandin antifungals
Critical Factors Influencing Echinocandin Resistance in Candida glabrata
This project learns how Candida glabrata develops resistance to echinocandin antifungal drugs to help people with invasive Candida 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-11129866 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have a Candida infection, this research looks specifically at C. glabrata and why it sometimes stops responding to commonly used echinocandin drugs. Scientists will study patient-derived and laboratory strains to find genetic changes, including mutations in the FKS1 and FKS2 genes, and to track small groups of cells that survive drug treatment. They will run lab experiments that mimic clinical treatment and follow how drug-tolerant cells evolve into fully resistant strains. The hope is that understanding these steps will point to ways to prevent resistance and guide better treatment choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with invasive Candida infections—especially those infected with C. glabrata or currently treated with echinocandin antifungals—would be most relevant for sample donation or future trials.
Not a fit: Patients with fungal infections caused by organisms that are not treated with echinocandins, or people without Candida infections, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to tests or treatment strategies that keep echinocandin drugs effective longer and improve outcomes for people with C. glabrata infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked FKS mutations to clinical echinocandin resistance, but this project focuses on the cellular and population processes that allow resistant mutants to appear rapidly.
Where this research is happening
Hackensack, United States
- Hackensack University Medical Center — Hackensack, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perlin, David S — Hackensack University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Perlin, David S
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.