How Candida RNA changes help the fungus cause infections
Official title: Distinguishing features of C. albicans pseudouridylation and their roles in pathogenesis
Funded at Ball State University · NIH-11220849 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team is learning how specific RNA modifications in Candida fungi help them survive and resist drugs so future treatments for people with Candida infections can be developed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ball State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Muncie, United States) |
| Project start | February 6, 2017 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $549,460 |
| NIH project number | 2R15AI130950-03A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11220849 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with recurrent, invasive, or drug-resistant Candida infections could be future candidates for clinical follow-up studies that build on these lab findings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without fungal infections or with unrelated health conditions are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this basic laboratory project.
What this research studies
This lab project will map and compare RNA modifications called pseudouridylation in Candida albicans and the emerging pathogen Candida auris. Researchers will test how enzymes that add or remove these RNA marks (like Pus1 and Pug1) work, how heavy metals change where these enzymes sit in the cell, and which RNAs are affected. The work includes experiments on fungal growth, biofilm formation, and drug tolerance to see if blocking pseudouridine breakdown changes these behaviors. Undergraduate and master’s students at Ball State will carry out the laboratory studies at the university.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could point to new ways to weaken Candida or new drug targets, improving treatment options for people with fungal infections.
How similar studies have gone: Researchers have used RNA-modification studies in other microbes to reveal vulnerabilities, but applying pseudouridylation work to C. albicans and C. auris is relatively new and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Ball State University
Muncie, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bernstein, Douglas a. — Ball State University
- Study coordinator: Bernstein, Douglas a.
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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.