$12 million grant will fund new research at UofL on chronic conditions

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Researchers at the University of Louisville received an $11.7 million grant they hope will lead to discoveries in Alzheimer's disease, heart disease, diabetes and other conditions.

The money, from the National Institutes of Health, will allow researchers to study the connection between microorganisms and disease. Their work will focus on microorganisms in the mouth, GI tract and the blood-brain barrier.

The research could lead to better understanding and treatments of chronic conditions.

UofL researchers have received $11.7 million to study microorganisms in the body. What they find may lead to a better understanding and treatment of a range of conditions.

The 5-year grant from the @NIH is an extension of its COBRE grant awarded in 2018. https://t.co/SipAADZnn9
— University of Louisville (@uofl) August 24, 2023

"You can think of the relationship between the host and the pathogen as a lock and a key," said Kevin Sokoloski, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the UofL School of Medicine. "And really, in order to open that lock and cause infection, that key has to fit snugly and fit perfectly in order for it to turn. This interaction is essentially an interaction of that lock and key, where we may be able to put something into the lock to prevent that key from being able to turn."

The grant will support three faculty members' research, UofL said in a news release Thursday:

Fata Moradali, (Oral Immunology and Infectious Diseases), who will address periodontitis, a common condition driven by a synergistically virulent bacterial community that triggers destructive inflammatory responses in the periodontal, or gum tissues.
James Collins, (Microbiology & Immunology), who will investigate the GI tract pathogen C. difficile, an evolving organism whose ability to cause disease can be enhanced by the nutritional microenvironment.
Yun Teng, (Department of Medicine), who will focus on the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Increased permeability of the BBB accelerates the aging process and the progression of age-related diseases.

"As a top-tier research institution, UofL works to expand understanding and find solutions to important problems," Kevin Gardner, executive vice president for research and innovation at UofL, said in a news release Thursday. "The work of Drs. Lamont and Bodduluri, along with their team, for example, could lead to life-changing therapies, treatments and more that could dramatically improve the lives of people living with numerous conditions."