Invasive Candida infection is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired bloodstream infections, which carry a mortality rate ranging from 45 to 75 percent. Toxicity and resistance to the limited number of anti-fungal agents currently available contributes to high morbidity and mortality associated with invasive fungal infections. Therefore, there is an urgent need to better understand the host-pathogen interaction during fungal infection and develop new immuno-therapeutic approaches to fight invasive candidiasis.

Dr. Bing Li received a five-year NIH U01 award entitled “Determine the Molecular and Metabolic Mechanisms by which A-FABP Links Dysregulated Lipid Metabolism-induced Obesity/Breast Cancer Risk”. This award in combination with four other selected projects and a Coordinating Center will constitute the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Metabolic Dysregulation and Cancer Risk Program, which will focus on metabolic dysregulation as the key process linking obesity with cancer risk.