How fever and hot spots inside immune cells boost neutrophil defense against Staphylococcus aureus
Official title: Systemic and Phagosomal Heat as Overlooked Regulators of Neutrophil Immunity
Funded at University of Tennessee Knoxville · NIH-11454048 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project studies how fever and hot spots inside immune cells affect neutrophil defense and bacterial survival, with a focus on Staphylococcus aureus.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tennessee Knoxville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Knoxville, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $235,550 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI196150-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11454048 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with suspected or confirmed bacterial infections where fever is present or could be leveraged to enhance treatment.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without active infections or those not experiencing fever may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Fever and localized heat inside neutrophils may change how these cells fight bacteria. We will use temperature-controlled infection models to see how higher body temperatures reshape neutrophil development and their ability to kill bacteria. We’ll also investigate how heat within the phagosome boosts reactive oxygen species and stress signals that can suppress or kill Staphylococcus aureus.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to therapies that harness temperature effects to improve neutrophil killing of bacteria during infections.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest heat influences immune cell metabolism and bacterial killing, supporting further exploration of this approach.
Where this research is happening
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University of Tennessee Knoxville
Knoxville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Monteith, Andrew J — University of Tennessee Knoxville
- Study coordinator: Monteith, Andrew J
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.