Ornithine decarboxylase as a therapy target in Leishmania
Official title: Ornithine Decarboxylase as a Therapeutic Target in Leishmania: From Mechanism to Application
Funded at Pacific University · NIH-11360370 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small science project is exploring how blocking a parasite’s tiny chemical factory could lead to safer, more effective treatments for leishmaniasis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pacific University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Forest Grove, United States) |
| Project start | August 13, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $464,024 |
| NIH project number | 1R15AI199960-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360370 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with leishmaniasis could benefit from future therapies derived from understanding parasite weaknesses in polyamine metabolism.
✕Less likely to help
This basic research may not directly help patients if a therapy is many years away or not applicable to all forms of leishmaniasis.
What this research studies
This project studies how Leishmania parasites use polyamines to survive and resist stress, with the aim of finding new ways to treat the infection. Researchers will compare normal parasites to strains that alter polyamine production to see how these changes affect survival and mitochondrial function. The work connects basic biology to potential future treatments that could be used in combination with other therapies. The team has shown that disrupting key enzymes in polyamine production impairs parasite viability, and they will build on that to identify translational opportunities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could guide the development of safer, more effective treatments for leishmaniasis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that disrupting polyamine enzymes impairs parasite survival, supporting potential success of this approach in the future.
Where this research is happening
-
Pacific University
Forest Grove, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Roberts, Sigrid Christiane — Pacific University
- Study coordinator: Roberts, Sigrid Christiane
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.