# Immunity to Cryptosporidium

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2022 · $740,740

## Abstract

The apicomplexan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of death due to diarrheal disease in young
children, particularly in the context of malnutrition, milder infections often result in growth faltering. The
incidence of cryptosporidiosis drops off sharply after the age of two in areas of high transmission, yet in
regions with low transmission adults remain susceptible, as demonstrated by frequent outbreaks in the U.S.
More than 50% of waterborne disease in the U.S. is caused by this parasite which is resistant to water
chlorination and considered a category B potential bioterrorism agent. The epidemiology in children
suggests that initial infection results in long lived protective immunity, a phenomenon also observed in the
context of veterinary cryptosporidiosis. Harnessing this immunity into a vaccine could prevent the disease
and dramatically impact child mortality and development. However, there are significant gaps in our
knowledge of the mechanisms that underlie immunity to Cryptosporidium. We developed a new natural
model of Cryptosporidium infection in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice that mirrors important aspects of
human cryptosporidiosis and in which host and parasite are genetically tractable. This proposal assembles
an interdisciplinary team of experienced parasite molecular biologist and immunologist to define how the
infected enterocyte senses infection, how it responds to and restricts infection, and how it interacts with
dendritic cells and T cells to trigger and execute a protective immune response. This research will impact
our fundamental understanding of immunity in the gut and drive translation towards prevention of an
important contributor of child mortality.
!

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10306381
- **Project number:** 5R01AI148249-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** CHRISTOPHER A HUNTER
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $740,740
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-12-01 → 2024-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10306381

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10306381, Immunity to Cryptosporidium (5R01AI148249-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10306381. Licensed CC0.

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