How human-parasitic threadworms sense oxygen and carbon dioxide
Neural mechanisms of gas sensing in a human-infective worm
This project explores how the human-parasitic worm Strongyloides stercoralis detects changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide as it searches for and infects people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11235117 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study the human-parasitic worm Strongyloides stercoralis in the laboratory to see how changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide affect its movement and host-seeking behavior. They will use automated motility tracking to measure worm responses to sudden gas changes and to steady oxygen, carbon dioxide, and combined gas gradients. The team will examine the worm's nerve cells and molecular sensors that detect gases to link behavior with underlying neural mechanisms. All experiments are done on parasite specimens and lab-grown material rather than enrolling patients.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: There is no patient enrollment for this grant because the work is laboratory research on parasite specimens rather than a clinical trial.
Not a fit: People currently infected should not expect direct or immediate treatment benefits from this basic science project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal new ways to block or disrupt how threadworms find and infect people, opening paths to better prevention or treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Related studies in the model nematode C. elegans have identified gas-sensing neurons and mechanisms, but applying those findings to the human-parasitic Strongyloides species is a newer and less-tested area.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hallem, Elissa Anyon — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Hallem, Elissa Anyon
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.