Understanding how rectal and urethral infections relate to gut bacteria to improve STI vaccines
Official title: The Clinical History of Rectal and Urethral STIs among MSM: characterizing microbiome host immune interactions for diagnostic and vaccine advances
Funded at Rush University Medical Center · NIH-11421437 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant studies how the microbiome and immune system in the penis and rectum relate to sexually transmitted infections in men who have sex with men, with goals to improve diagnosis and vaccines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rush University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | August 18, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $343,343 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI177005-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421437 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adult men who have sex with men in Kisumu or Nairobi who consent to longitudinal sampling and regular STI testing.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who do not experience STIs or whose microbiome-immune profiles do not show clear associations may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
The project follows 500 MSM in Kisumu and Nairobi over one year, collecting penile and rectal microbiome data, mucosal immune profiles, behavioral factors, and STI outcomes to understand how inflammation and bacterial communities influence infection risk and vaccine responses. Researchers will use 16S sequencing to profile bacteria and correlate findings with immune cell patterns and STI incidence. The work aims to inform better diagnostic tools and pave the way for effective vaccines by linking microbiome states to disease risk in a real-world population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more accurate STI diagnostics and vaccine strategies tailored to microbiome and immune profiles in MSM.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show associations between mucosal microbiomes and STI risk, but this project expands to longitudinal analysis and translation toward diagnostics and vaccines.
Where this research is happening
-
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Supriya Dinesh — Rush University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Supriya Dinesh
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.