A map of how bacterial communities form and endure
Official title: A single-cell transcriptomic atlas for the formation and fate of microbial communities
Funded at University of Nebraska Medical Center · NIH-11430214 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project will map the single-cell gene activity in bacterial communities to understand how they form, organize, and survive in challenging environments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nebraska Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Omaha, United States) |
| Project start | August 10, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $404,831 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM166027-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11430214 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with infections where bacterial communities resist conventional treatments, such as chronic or device-associated infections.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients with infections that do not involve resilient bacterial communities may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will create a high-resolution atlas of gene activity in individual bacterial cells as communities develop. Researchers will track how cells within a population coordinate to build complex structures and how different cells experience their surroundings. The work aims to reveal why some subpopulations endure environmental stress and contribute to persistent infections. The findings could lay the groundwork for new strategies to manage stubborn bacterial communities in patients. The study will be done at the University of Nebraska Medical Center under a Top-Quality NIH grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from better approaches to prevent or treat persistent bacterial infections linked to complex communities.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that single-cell analyses can reveal heterogeneity in bacterial populations, supporting the potential for meaningful insights in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Korshoj, Lee Erik — University of Nebraska Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Korshoj, Lee Erik
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.