How the body's first-line immune defenses fight Valley fever (Coccidioides)
Innate immune mechanisms of the host response to Coccidioides
Researchers are looking at how the body's innate immune system responds to the fungus that causes Valley fever to help people who get infected.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| 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-11247121 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They aim to understand why most people clear Coccidioides but a small percentage develop severe, disseminated Valley fever that can affect the brain, bones, and skin. The project examines each step of the innate immune response — from how the body recognizes the fungus, to cytokine signaling, to how immune cells process and kill the pathogen — and studies gene and protein-level changes and cell interactions. The team will use a mix of laboratory experiments and analyses of patient-derived samples to connect molecular findings with clinical outcomes. The overall aim is to pinpoint immune pathways that differ in people who develop severe disease.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would be people diagnosed with Valley fever, especially those with recent or disseminated infections, and healthy volunteers from endemic areas for comparison.
Not a fit: People without Coccidioides infection or whose illness is caused by unrelated conditions are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to tests that identify people at higher risk for severe Valley fever and to new treatments that strengthen early immune defenses to prevent dissemination.
How similar studies have performed: Similar immune-focused approaches have clarified host responses to Candida and Aspergillus, but targeted work on Coccidioides is more limited and relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hoffman, Harold M — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Hoffman, Harold M
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.