Improving detection of the syphilis bacterium's DNA
Sensitive Treponema pallidum genome recovery through tiling amplicon sequencing
This project tests a new lab approach to recover complete DNA from the syphilis bacterium so clinics and public health teams can better track infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11161500 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers are designing overlapping PCR pieces to capture the full DNA of Treponema pallidum from clinical samples like lesion swabs or blood. The method uses 2–3 kb amplicons that work with both short- and long-read sequencing so labs can more reliably get full genomes even when bacterial DNA is scarce. They will validate the approach on cultured isolates and a wide range of real patient specimens collected around the world. The goal is a cheaper, more sensitive process that public health labs can use at scale.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people with confirmed or suspected syphilis who can provide clinical specimens (e.g., lesion swabs or blood) or whose PCR-positive samples can be submitted from participating clinics or labs.
Not a fit: People without syphilis or those unable to provide clinical samples would not directly benefit from participating in this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let public health teams detect and track syphilis strains more reliably, improving outbreak response and informing treatment guidance.
How similar studies have performed: Tiling amplicon sequencing has worked well for viruses and some bacteria, while prior hybridization-capture methods for T. pallidum have had limited sensitivity, so applying tiling amplicons to syphilis is relatively new but builds on proven approaches.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Greninger, Alexander L — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Greninger, Alexander L
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.