How Chlamydia bacteria change form inside human cells
Official title: Understanding the chlamydial developmental cycle at the single cell level
Funded at University of Idaho · NIH-11249616 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project finds out how Chlamydia bacteria switch between non‑infectious and infectious forms inside cells so future treatments and prevention can be improved.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Idaho NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Moscow, United States) |
| Project start | December 19, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $112,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI188237-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11249616 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a laboratory research project that does not enroll patients, though people with Chlamydia infections or related conditions could be candidates for future clinical studies informed by these results.
✕Less likely to help
People without exposure to Chlamydia or whose health problems are unrelated to these bacteria are unlikely to see direct benefit from this basic lab research.
What this research studies
Researchers will watch individual Chlamydia bacteria move through their life cycle—germinating, replicating, transitioning, and becoming infectious—using single‑cell imaging and molecular methods. They will use CRISPR‑dCas9 to reduce activity of specific bacterial genes and observe how those changes affect bacterial form and behavior inside infected host cells. The work focuses on human pathogens such as C. pneumoniae and C. trachomatis that cause respiratory illness, contribute to atherosclerosis links, trachoma-related blindness, and reproductive tract disease. Findings will map molecular switches that control development and highlight potential targets for new diagnostics or treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal ways to stop Chlamydia from becoming infectious and lead to new approaches that reduce pneumonia, blindness from trachoma, infertility from genital infections, and possible bacteria‑linked atherosclerosis.
How similar studies have gone: Related molecular imaging studies have improved understanding of other bacterial life cycles, but using CRISPR‑dCas9 interference at single‑cell resolution in Chlamydia is relatively novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Idaho
Moscow, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grieshaber, Scott S — University of Idaho
- Study coordinator: Grieshaber, Scott S
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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.