NIH R01 · 2025
The unfolded protein response as a therapeutic target for fungal keratitis
PROJECT SUMMARY Fungal keratitis (FK) has emerged as a leading source of ocular morbidity and unilateral blindness worldwide. Though better antifungals are urgently needed, their development first requires an understanding of fungal proteins/enzymes that could serve as drug targets. The site of fungal growth during FK is the corneal stroma, which is rich in collagen and other proteins, but ostensibly poor in glucose or freely diffusible nutrients. We therefore predicted that (1) fungi breakdown these proteins as a primary nutrient source during infection, and (2) fungal pathways that support protein catabolism (e.g. protease secretion) represent important virulence factors and putative drug…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.