Spatial partitioning of GAS metabolism in infection
Official title: Spatial Partitioning of Metabolic Virulence Strategies in Streptococcus pyogenes
Funded at Marshall University · NIH-11439263 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small grant to study how Streptococcus pyogenes uses different metabolic pathways in different parts of infected tissue to cause disease, with potential implications for new treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Marshall University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Huntington, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 14, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $221,250 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI202017-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11439263 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to a specific patient group in this grant; findings are aimed at understanding GAS biology to inform future treatments.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation is required for this grant.
What this research studies
This project looks at how the bacteria GAS adapts its metabolism when facing oxygen differences in infected tissue. By using metabolically constrained bacterial strains, researchers will test how anaerobic and aerobic pathways influence growth and immune evasion in specific tissue environments. The work combines biology in the lab with models that mimic human infection, aiming to map where and how GAS shifts its metabolic strategy to damage tissue and hide from immune cells.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could guide new therapies that disrupt GAS metabolism to limit infection.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work indicates metabolism drives virulence in GAS, supporting potential success with spatial metabolic strategies.
Where this research is happening
-
Marshall University
Huntington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xu, Wei — Marshall University
- Study coordinator: Xu, Wei
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.