How Staphylococcus aureus’s Hlb protein helps it evade human immune cells
Official title: Characterizing the impact of Hlb expression on the ability of MRSA to evade human PMN responses
Funded at Montana State University - Bozeman · NIH-11442136 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are studying how a toxin in MRSA changes the bacteria’s ability to dodge human neutrophils, potentially revealing new ways to prevent or treat infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Montana State University - Bozeman NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bozeman, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $217,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI202446-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11442136 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with MRSA or related Staphylococcus aureus infections, or those at risk of MRSA infection, may benefit from this research's insights.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without MRSA exposure may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project looks at a toxin called Hlb in Staphylococcus aureus and how its activity affects the bacteria’s interaction with human immune cells. By studying whether Hlb changes how PVL damages neutrophils, scientists aim to understand a key step in MRSA’s path into the human body. The work uses human neutrophils and advanced imaging to observe how the bacteria and immune cells communicate at the cell surface and membrane level. The findings could inform future strategies to limit MRSA’s ability to survive and spread in people with immune systems that respond to infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could identify new targets to prevent MRSA from evading immune responses and reduce severe infections.
How similar studies have gone: Early work suggests Hlb and PVL interactions influence neutrophil responses, but the exact mechanisms require further confirmation.
Where this research is happening
-
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nygaard, Tyler K — Montana State University - Bozeman
- Study coordinator: Nygaard, Tyler K
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Sex- and hormone-aware computer model of cartilage metabolism and drug effects
A scientist team will build and test a computer model that predicts how cartilage cells metabolize, produce matrix, and respond to drugs, with a focus on differences between men and women and how hormones affect these processes.
-
Translatomic changes in aging heart: ribosome players
A study to understand how aging changes the heart at the molecular level by looking at ribosomes and initiation factors in heart cells.
-
Understanding why some orthobunyaviruses hurt the brain and others don’t
Researchers are studying how certain brain-invading viruses in the California serogroup cause meningitis and brain disease, so we can learn what makes some viruses more dangerous than others.
-
Lyssavirus glycoprotein fusion and receptor binding revealed at the structural level
This grant uses lyssavirus proteins to map how viral surface proteins fuse with cells and bind receptors, which helps us understand how rabies-related viruses infect hosts.
-
Brucella brain infection: how it gets into the brain and how the immune system helps or hinders
A mouse study is testing how Brucella bacteria reach the brain and how immune signals and T cells affect brain infection and inflammation.
-
Trauma, stress, and heart health in an American Indian community
This NIH grant aims to understand how trauma affects heart and mental health among American Indian adults in Montana.
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.