# Genetic analysis of mechanisms of chlamydial immune evasion

> **NIH NIH R01** · INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS · 2022 · $560,229

## Abstract

Abstract
Rates of Chlamydia trachomatis sexually transmitted infection are stable or increasing and these infections incur
billions in medical costs annually worldwide. Vaccines for these pathogens are needed but our limited
understanding of how Chlamydia species evade the immune system and target different tissues of their hosts
has hindered progress towards this goal. Strain- and species-specific Chlamydia genes that circumvent host
interferon stimulated defenses, and other interferon independent genes that mediate ability of these organisms
to invade different tissues, may be linked to differences in the pathogenesis of closely-related C. trachomatis
isolates. However, most of these genes have not been identified because methods for genetic manipulation of
these pathogens have only been recently developed. In aim one of our study we will use forward genetic screens,
new genetic mapping tools and mouse models to identify genes that a mouse-adapted C. trachomatis relative
uses to evade immunity and infect different tissues in mice and dissect how these function. Similar approaches
will be used in aim 2 to identify and characterize the functions of C. trachomatis genes that mediate the ability of
these organisms to attach to, invade and avoid immune responses in representative cells from different human
tissues.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10374061
- **Project number:** 5R01AI099278-08
- **Recipient organization:** INDIANA UNIVERSITY INDIANAPOLIS
- **Principal Investigator:** David Emmet Nelson
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $560,229
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2012-02-01 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10374061

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10374061, Genetic analysis of mechanisms of chlamydial immune evasion (5R01AI099278-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10374061. Licensed CC0.

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