SA-CCRC-Development of Therapeutics and Vaccines Against Coccidioidomycosis.

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Summary (Overall) San Antonio has a rich tradition of excellence in the field of Medical Mycology, including Coccidioidomycosis, also referred to as Valley Fever. These infections affect hundreds of thousands of healthy and immunocompromised individuals in the endemic areas of the arid Southwest U.S., with a majority of cases in California and Arizona. There are very few drugs to treat these infections and no vaccine is available. Growing levels of antibiotic resistance are a major concern, and the latest data on the expansion of the geographical area of infection is very worrisome. To address these major shortcomings, we propose the establishment of the San Antonio-based Coccidioidomycosis Collaborative Research Center (SA-CCRC). The new Center will be a highly collaborative place for synergistic multi- and interdisciplinary interactions by members of the Center, which include highly experienced investigators in the field of Coccidioides research, as well as others with substantial knowledge and/or technical expertise in other areas whose talents are being attracted to this field for the very first time. Overall, the SA-CCRC creates an optimal cohesive infrastructure to support integrated research, leverages resources at each of the participating sites and organizations, and also extends to the establishment of novel academic- industrial partnerships. Our Center has a strong translational emphasis, being distinctively focused on the development of antifungal drugs and vaccines against coccidioidomycosis. The center is anchored by an administrative core which will serve a central hub for providing the necessary organizational, administrative and financial oversight structure for the Center’s day-to-day operations. The overall objectives for the SA- CCRC are: i) to advance basic, translational and clinical research in the field of Coccidioidomycosis via investigator-driven research projects, ii) to adapt, develop and implement state of the art techniques to the Coccidioidomycosis field of research in support of the three different projects and the coccidioidomycosis community at large, and iii) to administer a Development and Research Program for pilot funding and mentoring of junior investigators and those new to the field of coccidioidomycosis. Altogether, the proposed SA-CCRC program will fill critical voids and will have a powerful and sustainable effect on the field of coccidioidomycosis research.