How immune signals cause Staph aureus bone infections and damage
Official title: Differential Inflammasome Regulation in the pathogenesis of S. aureus osteomyelitis
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11158651 · Data updated 2026-11-12
The team is comparing how different immune pathways cause bone damage during Staphylococcus aureus infections to help people with osteomyelitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $665,686 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI161022-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11158651 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would be people with current or recurrent Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis or those willing to donate blood or surgical bone samples for research.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-infectious bone conditions or infections caused by organisms other than Staphylococcus aureus are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
If you have a Staph aureus bone infection, this work looks at how the immune system’s inflammatory machinery (the inflammasome) affects bone cells and infection outcome. Researchers study immune cells like neutrophils and macrophages, plus bone cells such as osteoclasts and osteoblasts, to see how those interactions promote bone loss or let bacteria hide. The project uses laboratory models and human-relevant samples to map which inflammatory signals drive damage and which might be blocked. The goal is to find targets that could lead to treatments that protect bone and help clear infection alongside antibiotics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new therapies that reduce bone destruction and help clear stubborn Staph aureus infections when antibiotics alone are insufficient.
How similar studies have gone: Laboratory and animal studies suggest inflammasome modulation can change infection-driven inflammation, but clinical benefit for human bone infections is not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Veis, Deborah J — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Veis, Deborah J
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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.