Rectal and urethral STI history in MSM to improve diagnostics and vaccines
Official title: The Clinical History of Rectal and Urethral STIs among MSM: characterizing microbiome host immune interactions for diagnostic and vaccine advances
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11571358 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in men who have sex with men (MSM) will look at their rectal and penile microbiomes and immune signals to help better diagnose and prevent sexually transmitted infections and HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $187,018 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI177005-04S2 |
| Project ID | NIH-11571358 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
MSM aged adults in Kisumu and Nairobi who are at risk for urethral or anorectal STIs and consent to participate in longitudinal sampling and interviews.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at risk for STIs or those unwilling to provide biological samples or participate for the full year may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project follows 500 MSM in two Kenyan cities over one year to map their penile and rectal microbes and mucosal immune responses while tracking STI infections. Researchers will collect microbiome data (focused on 16S sequencing), mucosal immune markers, and information about behavior and environment to see how they relate to CT and NG infections. The goal is to identify microbiome-immune patterns that correlate with higher STI risk and could inform future diagnostics or vaccines. The work builds on prior findings in Kenyan cohorts and aims to translate these insights into tools that improve prevention and care for MSM at risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to new biomarkers and strategies for earlier STI detection and more effective vaccine approaches for MSM.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked rectal microbiome patterns with inflammatory immune states and STI risk, with promising directions for diagnostics and prevention.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Supriya Dinesh — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Supriya Dinesh
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.