Immune responses to Cryptococcus neoformans
Continuum of Immune Responses to Cryptococcus neoformans
This project looks at why some people with HIV who carry Cryptococcus neoformans stay healthy while others develop life-threatening meningitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11320826 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my point of view, researchers are comparing immune reactions to many different clinical strains of the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans using samples from people and mouse models that mimic human latent and active infection. They group infections into three outcomes — controlled latent infection with lung granulomas, typical lethal disease, and an unusually fast, hypervirulent form — and look for immune patterns tied to each outcome. The team uses over 50 clinical isolates and mouse models that reproduce differences seen in people to find which immune responses help control the fungus and which allow it to spread to the brain. The goal is to identify biological markers or pathways that could help predict or prevent cryptococcal meningitis in people with advanced HIV.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people living with advanced HIV/AIDS, especially those who have had cryptococcal infection or are known to carry Cryptococcus neoformans.
Not a fit: People without HIV or those with other unrelated infections are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this specific work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors identify people with HIV who are at higher risk for cryptococcal meningitis and guide better prevention or tailored treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human cohort studies and animal-model work have advanced understanding of cryptococcosis, and the team's preliminary mouse data mirror human outcomes, but the specific three-group classification and its immune correlates are a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Blacksburg, United States
- Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ — Blacksburg, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nielsen, Kirsten — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Nielsen, Kirsten
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.