Understanding how different bacterial behaviors affect Clostridioides difficile disease
Official title: Dissecting the functional significance of phenotypic heterogeneity during Clostridioides difficile pathogenicity
Funded at University of Kansas Medical Center · NIH-11436535 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A basic science grant aims to understand why people infected with C. difficile have very different outcomes, from mild diarrhea to severe illness.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kansas City, United States) |
| Project start | September 8, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $465,000 |
| NIH project number | 1DP2AI201025-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11436535 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with C. difficile infection or at risk of CDI, particularly those with variable disease presentations.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without CDI are unlikely to benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how toxin levels and bacterial gene behavior contribute to disease severity in humans. The team will study how C. difficile’s flagellar gene expression, controlled by a 5' UTR switch, relates to how sick patients get. The research uses animal models and human-relevant samples to uncover toxin-independent factors that drive disease, with the goal of identifying new therapeutic targets. By uncovering why similar bacteria cause different symptoms, the work could guide better prevention and treatment strategies for CDI.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: findings could lead to new therapies that reduce severity or prevent severe outcomes in CDI patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work has shown links between bacterial gene expression and virulence, but human-specific variability remains to be clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dong, Qiwen — University of Kansas Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Dong, Qiwen
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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.