How yeast build their protective spore wall
Assembly and Function of the Yeast Spore Wall
Researchers are learning how fungi make their tough outer walls so people with fungal infections could have safer, more effective treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173638 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project looks at the multi-layered spore wall of budding yeast, which uses components similar to those in disease-causing fungi. Scientists use yeast genetics, biochemistry, and microscopy to identify key wall components—such as chitosan, a polyphenol called dityrosine, and certain lipids—and the enzymes that assemble them. By comparing these assembly steps to pathogenic fungi like Candida and Cryptococcus, the team aims to find fungal-specific weak spots. Although the work is done in the lab with yeast, it is intended to point to new targets for antifungal drugs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with or at high risk for serious fungal infections—such as immunocompromised patients or those with recurrent Candida or Cryptococcus infections—would be the ultimate beneficiaries of any new treatments that come from this research.
Not a fit: Patients needing immediate clinical care or those with non-fungal infections would not directly benefit from this basic laboratory project today.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal fungal-specific drug targets that lead to antifungal medicines with fewer side effects and less resistance.
How similar studies have performed: Prior basic research has identified fungal cell-wall enzymes that became drug targets, but translating findings from baker's yeast to human pathogens is still a developing and partly untested path.
Where this research is happening
Stony Brook, United States
- State University New York Stony Brook — Stony Brook, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neiman, Aaron M — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Neiman, Aaron 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.