Illuminating environmental sensing in fungal meningitis pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans
Official title: Exploiting a high-precision phenotypic map to illuminate environmental sensing by a fungal meningitis pathogen
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11348189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in a human fungal pathogen aims to map how genes work together and respond to drugs to find new ways to treat fungal meningitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | June 6, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $616,637 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187603-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11348189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with cryptococcal meningitis or at risk for fungal infections may benefit from future therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Current patients will not directly receive a treatment from this study, but may benefit from future therapies arising from it.
What this research studies
Researchers will study Cryptococcus neoformans, a fungus that causes meningitis, by building a comprehensive map of gene functions and interactions. They created a large library of gene deletions and will test how these mutants respond to many drugs and conditions, using a highly precise KO-seq method. The project also tests how these mutants behave in mouse models to understand real-world effects. The goal is to identify key pathways that could be targeted by new medicines to prevent or treat fungal meningitis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: This work could uncover new drug targets and strategies to treat or prevent fungal meningitis.
How similar studies have gone: Past studies in model organisms have successfully linked gene clusters to biological pathways, supporting this approach in pathogens.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Madhani, Hiten D — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Madhani, Hiten D
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Personalized Immunomodulatory Therapy for HIV-related Cryptococcal Meningitis
A patient-focused study investigates a personalized treatment approach to improve outcomes for people with HIV who develop cryptococcal meningitis.
-
Improving Diagnostics and Neurocognitive Outcomes in HIV/AIDS-related Meningitis
A study in Uganda aims to use faster, better tests and a new antifungal to help people with HIV who develop meningitis.
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TB meningitis diagnostic test compare and cost study in sub-Saharan Africa
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A research study is testing easier, less invasive ways to diagnose meningitis in people living with HIV, with a focus on making diagnosis faster and more accurate in Africa and the US.
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A study in children with TB meningitis in South Africa will look at how inflammation and blood-clotting factors relate to brain injury and infarcts.
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Serological clues to survival in HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis
This grant looks for antibody signals in the blood that could predict who survives cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV.
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.