Substance P and worsening bone infection from staph bacteria
Official title: Substance P exacerbation of staphylococcal bone damage
Funded at University of North Carolina Charlotte · NIH-11384609 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand if a nerve-related molecule called substance P makes bone infection from Staphylococcus aureus worse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Carolina Charlotte NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlotte, United States) |
| Project start | September 19, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $382,429 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI170012-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384609 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with osteomyelitis or bone infections or those at risk, and researchers may use human bone cells and samples to study mechanisms.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without bone infection may not directly benefit from this basic mechanistic study.
What this research studies
This project looks at whether substance P, a chemical that nerves release during inflammation, worsens bone damage caused by Staphylococcus aureus in both mouse and human bone cells and in an animal model. Researchers will study how substance P interacts with bone cells to influence inflammation and bone breakdown, focusing on osteomyelitis. The work combines lab experiments with an established animal model to see if blocking substance P could lessen bone damage during infection. Findings could point to new ways to reduce bone loss for people with severe bone infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new treatments that lessen bone destruction and inflammation in patients with bacterial bone infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows substance P can worsen inflammation in various tissues, but its specific role in osteomyelitis is being explored in this project.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Carolina Charlotte
Charlotte, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Marriott, Ian — University of North Carolina Charlotte
- Study coordinator: Marriott, Ian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Understanding how fetal male germ cells fix DNA breaks
Researchers are studying how DNA damage in fetal male germ cells is repaired to keep future sperm healthy.
-
Automated single-cell heart cell measurements to test drugs
A new automated system will quickly measure electrical signals and beating force in heart cells derived from a patient’s own stem cells to help predict drug safety.
-
Innate Immune Trigger to Boost Bone Infection Defense
Researchers are testing a way to wake up the body's own innate immune system to fight stubborn bone infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, aiming to help people with osteomyelitis fight bacteria more effectively.
-
Targeting Perp in pancreatic cancer and its muscle wasting
This NIH grant explores a gene called Perp as a potential target to slow pancreatic cancer growth and reduce cachexia in patients.
-
Deciphering Pemphigus Risk Through Immune Gene Maps
A study to map the genetic and immune signals that raise the risk of pemphigus, a rare autoimmune skin disease, in adults.
-
Mucin-1 targeted nanoparticles delivering chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer
A new targeted nanoparticle system is being developed to deliver chemotherapy directly to pancreatic cancer cells in order to improve treatment outcomes.
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.