Understanding how bacterial TIR proteins use NADase activity to influence infection
Official title: Probing NADase function of bacterial Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) proteins: Starting with a CURE (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience)
Funded at Towson University · NIH-11382766 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A college research project explores how a bacterial protein’s NADase activity may affect bacteria and host cells, with students helping analyze the findings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Towson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Towson, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $149,620 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI182345-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382766 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are students and researchers at Towson University and affiliated sites engaging in undergraduate biology education and microbiology research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients are not directly enrolled; the work is educational and mechanistic in nature and would not involve patient participation.
What this research studies
This grant supports a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) to study bacterial TIR proteins and their NADase activity, and how these may influence bacterial survival and host immune responses. Students will work with model hosts to see how TcpC NADase activity changes metabolism and signaling inside bacteria and in host cells. The project also aims to identify host pathways affected by TcpC and to develop hands-on learning experiences for a diverse group of students. The work combines basic biology with educational goals to train the next generation of scientists while advancing knowledge of bacterial virulence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could illuminate new bacterial vulnerabilities and inspire educational approaches that prepare students for biology and health careers.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work has shown bacterial NADase activity can affect cellular processes, supporting the relevance of this line of inquiry.
Where this research is happening
-
Towson University
Towson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Snyder, Michelle Lynn Dykstra — Towson University
- Study coordinator: Snyder, Michelle Lynn Dykstra
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.