Improving the use of deer mice to study infectious diseases

Enhancing the utility of deer mice as an infectious disease model

NIH-funded research University of South Carolina at Columbia · NIH-11198321

This study is working to make deer mice better helpers for scientists studying diseases like COVID-19 and Lyme disease, so they can breed more of these mice, create better tools for research, and share important information, ultimately helping to improve our understanding and treatment of these illnesses that affect people.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of South Carolina at Columbia NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Columbia, United States)
Project IDNIH-11198321 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on enhancing the use of deer mice as a model for studying infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and Lyme disease. The project aims to improve breeding programs to ensure a steady supply of these animals for research, develop specific antibodies for better disease modeling, and create accessible databases for researchers. By addressing these key areas, the research seeks to facilitate more effective studies on infectious agents that affect human health. Patients may benefit indirectly through advancements in understanding and treating diseases linked to these models.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals affected by infectious diseases such as Lyme disease or COVID-19.

Not a fit: Patients with non-infectious diseases or those not affected by the diseases studied may not receive any benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved understanding and treatment options for infectious diseases that impact human health.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in using animal models for studying infectious diseases, indicating that this approach is both valid and valuable.

Where this research is happening

Columbia, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.