How fungal and other cells survive when nutrients are scarce
Regulated and evolutionary responses to nutritional stress
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY · NIH-11322591
Researchers are looking at how fungal cells change their proteins and internal structure during starvation so future treatments can better target drug-tolerant infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | NEW YORK UNIVERSITY (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11322591 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project uses yeast models, including Candida species, to follow how cells enter and stay in a low‑activity (quiescent) state by tracking proteins with metabolic labeling and mass spectrometry. Tiny genetically encoded markers and live‑cell imaging will measure how crowded the cell interior becomes, and mutant strains will reveal the roles of key signaling pathways (TORC1, PKA, AMPK, PHO85) and vacuole function. The team will also study copy number changes that drive rapid adaptation and identify genetic factors that make quiescent cells more tolerant to drugs. All work is laboratory‑based on fungal cells rather than direct testing in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with recurrent or treatment‑resistant Candida (yeast) infections would be the most likely future candidates for clinical trials informed by this research.
Not a fit: People without fungal infections, or whose infections are bacterial or viral, are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new targets to make antifungal drugs more effective against dormant, drug‑tolerant infections.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies have mapped quiescence and genetic changes in yeast, but turning those findings into improved antifungal therapies has not yet been widely achieved.
Where this research is happening
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- NEW YORK UNIVERSITY — NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GRESHAM, DAVID — NEW YORK UNIVERSITY
- Study coordinator: GRESHAM, DAVID
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.