Stopping dangerous yeast infections by blocking a fungal enzyme called Yck2
Official title: Targeting the casein kinase 1 (CK1)-like kinase Yck2 in fungal pathogenesis
Funded at University of Toronto · NIH-11306997 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is developing drugs that block a fungal enzyme (Yck2) to kill drug-resistant Candida infections that often affect people with weakened immune systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Toronto NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Toronto, Canada) |
| Project start | March 22, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $615,297 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI162789-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11306997 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with invasive Candida infections—especially those with weakened immune systems from cancer treatment, organ transplant, or HIV, or those with drug-resistant Candida—would be the eventual candidates for therapies arising from this work.
✕Less likely to help
People without fungal infections, or those whose fungal infections already respond well to existing antifungals, are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project in the near term.
What this research studies
Researchers are screening known kinase-blocking compounds and new molecules in the lab against drug-resistant Candida species, including Candida albicans and Candida auris. They identified Yck2, a fungal version of casein kinase 1, as the main enzyme the active compounds hit and are using genetic tools to confirm its role. The team is testing whether blocking Yck2 prevents fungal growth, reverses antifungal resistance, and reduces the ability of fungi to cause disease in infection models. If promising, these lab findings could guide development of a new class of antifungal medicines for patients who have few treatment options.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new antifungal drugs that work against strains resistant to current treatments and improve outcomes for immunocompromised patients.
How similar studies have gone: Kinase inhibitors have been successful in other diseases like cancer, and early laboratory work shows Yck2 inhibition can weaken Candida, but this antifungal strategy remains largely at the preclinical stage.
Where this research is happening
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University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cowen, Leah Elizabeth — University of Toronto
- Study coordinator: Cowen, Leah Elizabeth
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.