Role of tryptophan breakdown and AHR in Leishmania resistance to antimony
Official title: Role of tryptophan catabolism and AHR pathways in natural resistance of Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis to antimonial drug
Funded at Univ of Maryland, College Park · NIH-11607825 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at why a parasite that causes skin ulcers in South America may resist a common drug, by studying how human immune cells react to infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $104,197 |
| NIH project number | 3R21AI188147-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11607825 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable; study uses human immune cells in a laboratory setting, not patient participants.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient participation is not part of this laboratory study.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how Leishmania panamensis interacts with human macrophages and how the tryptophan metabolism and AHR pathways influence the body's ability to fight the parasite. They will compare resistant and sensitive parasite subtypes and examine gene expression in infected immune cells. The goal is to identify host and parasite factors that drive treatment failure and point to new therapeutic targets. The study uses lab experiments with human cells to understand mechanisms behind drug resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new strategies to overcome resistance to antimony in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown differences in host responses to resistant versus sensitive parasite strains, supporting the approach.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of Maryland, College Park
College Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: El-Sayed, Najib M — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: El-Sayed, Najib M
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.