Understanding drug resistance in parasites that cause sleeping sickness and Chagas disease
Dissecting multidrug resistance pathways in Trypanosomatids
This project aims to understand how parasites become resistant to medicines used for diseases like African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease, which affect many people worldwide.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University New York Stony Brook NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stony Brook, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11121011 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Many people suffer from diseases caused by parasites called trypanosomatids, including African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease. Current treatments often have side effects, complex schedules, and are becoming less effective as parasites develop resistance. This project explores how these parasites resist existing drugs and how the drugs actually work to kill them. By identifying the genes involved in drug resistance, we hope to find new ways to overcome these challenges and improve future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, or Leishmaniasis could potentially benefit from future treatments developed from this foundational research.
Not a fit: Patients without trypanosomatid infections would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to the development of new, more effective drugs with fewer side effects for treating devastating parasitic infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genetic screens have identified novel aspects of drug resistance in these parasites, suggesting this approach is promising.
Where this research is happening
Stony Brook, United States
- State University New York Stony Brook — Stony Brook, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hovel-Miner, Galadriel Astra — State University New York Stony Brook
- Study coordinator: Hovel-Miner, Galadriel Astra
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 below.