Understanding how a dangerous fungus causes severe infections
Official title: Transcriptional networks governing A. fumigatus virulence
Funded at Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center · NIH-11167785 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to discover how a common fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, causes life-threatening infections, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Torrance, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $657,546 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI162802-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11167785 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research is not directly recruiting patients but aims to benefit individuals who are at risk for or suffer from invasive Aspergillus fumigatus infections, particularly those with weakened immune systems.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have or are not at risk for Aspergillus fumigatus infections would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Infections from the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus are becoming more common and are often deadly, even with current treatments. We don't fully understand what makes this fungus so harmful, as most of its genes are still a mystery. Researchers have found a specific regulator, called WrpA, that appears to control how the fungus resists the body's defenses and invades cells. This project will explore how WrpA and other related genes work together to cause severe disease. The goal is to uncover new ways to fight these dangerous infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new medications or diagnostic tools to better treat and prevent severe Aspergillus fumigatus infections.
How similar studies have gone: While the general approach of identifying fungal virulence factors has been successful in other contexts, the specific findings regarding the WrpA regulator and its network are novel and are being explored further.
Where this research is happening
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Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Torrance, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Filler, Scott G — Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Filler, Scott G
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.