How gonorrhea bacteria survive attacks by immune cells
Survival of Neisseria gonorrhoeae after primary human neutrophil challenge
Researchers are looking at how gonorrhea bacteria survive attacks from a type of immune cell (neutrophils) to help people who get gonorrhea.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11233292 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team uses neutrophils taken from people and exposes them to gonorrhea bacteria in lab dishes that mimic mucosal surfaces. They activate neutrophils with interleukin‑8 to reproduce how these cells behave during infection and compare how bacteria with different surface proteins are taken up and survive. Researchers also study samples collected from people with gonorrhea to see if lab findings match real infections. The goal is to identify bacterial mechanisms that blunt immune killing so new treatments or vaccines can be targeted to those weaknesses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with confirmed or suspected gonorrhea who are willing to provide genital or blood samples for research would be the ideal participants.
Not a fit: People without gonorrhea or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this lab‑focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal how gonorrhea evades the immune system and point to new treatment or vaccine targets for antibiotic‑resistant infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab and clinical studies have shown that Neisseria gonorrhoeae can resist neutrophil killing and that surface Opa proteins affect interactions, so this project builds on existing findings while searching for new mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
Charlottesville, United States
- University of Virginia — Charlottesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Criss, Alison K — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Criss, Alison K
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.