Understanding how Staphylococcus aureus affects vaccine effectiveness
Official title: Mechanisms of vaccine interference by S. aureus-induced imprints
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11051233 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into why vaccines for a common bacteria called Staphylococcus aureus don't work as well in people as they do in animals, and it hopes to find ways to make these vaccines more effective by understanding how our immune system reacts to the bacteria.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | March 6, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $714,925 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI179098-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11051233 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals who have had recurrent Staphylococcus aureus infections or are at high risk for such infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have never been exposed to Staphylococcus aureus or those with unrelated health conditions may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates why vaccines targeting Staphylococcus aureus often fail in humans despite success in animal models. It focuses on the immune response to the bacteria, particularly how prior exposure to Staphylococcus aureus alters antibody production and effectiveness. By studying the role of a specific immune molecule called IL10, the research aims to uncover the mechanisms behind these vaccine failures and identify potential strategies to improve vaccine responses in humans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective vaccines against Staphylococcus aureus, reducing infections and antibiotic resistance.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding immune responses can lead to breakthroughs in vaccine development, suggesting potential success for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, George Y — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Liu, George Y
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Improved MRI guidance for pediatric heart catheterization using autonomous multi-beat image synthesis
Aiming to make MRI-guided pediatric heart catheterizations safer and more reliable by using smart, multi-beat data fusion to produce clearer real-time MRI images.
-
Adapting a combination approach to reduce heavy drinking and boost HIV care and prevention among young men
A pilot project tests a proven program that helps young men cut down on heavy drinking and improves HIV treatment and prevention outcomes.
-
How specific anti-NMDAR1 antibodies in the blood may affect memory and brain protection
This research is exploring whether natural or abnormal anti-NMDAR1 antibodies in the blood influence memory, behavior, and brain protection in humans.
-
Screening and treatment of Chlamydia infection in pregnancy to help prevent preterm birth
This grant studies whether screening pregnant people for Chlamydia trachomatis and treating those who are positive can reduce the risk of preterm birth.
-
Pharmacometrics Core at UC San Diego
A pharmacometrics core is funded to support researchers in analyzing drug data to improve how medicines work for patients.
-
Milk Analytics Core for Precision Dairy Research
A core facility at UC San Diego will provide specialized milk analysis services to support research on dairy biology and human health.
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.