How gonorrhea and your immune system shape infections over time
Understanding pathogen and host determinants of the natural history of N. gonorrhoeae infection
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · NIH-11088225
This project follows people who recently had gonorrhea to learn how the bacteria and the body’s immune responses affect whether infections clear, cause symptoms, or spread to others.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11088225 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would be followed closely after a recent gonorrhea infection with regular check-ins and sample collections over time. The team will collect blood, swabs, and other specimens to study the bacteria and your antibody and cellular immune responses. Researchers will compare people who clear infections without symptoms, those who develop symptoms, and those who become reinfected. The goal is to identify bacterial and immune features that predict protection and help guide vaccine and public health efforts.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with a recent laboratory-confirmed N. gonorrhoeae infection who are at higher risk for reinfection and can attend regular follow-up visits and provide biological samples.
Not a fit: People without a recent gonorrhea infection, those unwilling or unable to attend follow-up visits, or those who cannot provide samples are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to immune markers and bacterial targets that help develop vaccines or better prevention strategies to reduce gonorrhea and antibiotic-resistant infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have given limited insight into protective immunity against gonorrhea, so using close, longitudinal follow-up and paired immune and pathogen analyses is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES
- UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL — CHAPEL HILL, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DUNCAN, JOSEPH A — UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL
- Study coordinator: DUNCAN, JOSEPH A
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.