Antibiotic recognition and signaling in drug-resistant enterococci
Official title: Antibiotic recognition and signaling in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)
Funded at Drexel University · NIH-11449611 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how vancomycin-resistant enterococci detect the antibiotic and turn on genes that make them resistant, with the aim of finding new ways to stop it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | December 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $468,567 |
| NIH project number | 2R01AI148679-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449611 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with enterococcal infections caused by vancomycin-resistant strains or samples from such infections used for study.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without VRE infections or samples would not directly benefit from this mechanistic study.
What this research studies
Patients may benefit if researchers uncover how these bacteria sense vancomycin and trigger resistance, potentially guiding new treatments or preventive strategies. The project focuses on the VanRS signaling system and how it controls the resistance genes in vancomycin-resistant enterococci, including differences between resistance types A and B. By understanding these signaling mechanisms, scientists hope to identify targets to interfere with resistance in hospital infections. The work builds on prior findings that type-B sensing involves direct interaction between the antibiotic and VanS, and that type-A operates differently, which could inform tailored approaches to counteract resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to strategies that prevent or weaken vancomycin resistance in clinical infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown measurable differences in sensing mechanisms and regulatory signaling, supporting the potential for meaningful advances.
Where this research is happening
-
Drexel University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Loll, Patrick J — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Loll, Patrick J
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.