Atlas of bacterial drug entry and exit to help design better antibiotics
Official title: Atlas of efflux and permeation determinants to advance antibacterial therapeutic discovery
Funded at University of Oklahoma · NIH-11376561 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are building smart computer models and chemical tests to understand how to get drugs into Gram-negative bacteria like Acinetobacter baumannii so new antibiotics can work.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Oklahoma NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Norman, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,077,821 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI191767-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376561 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, including pneumonia and related infections.
✕Less likely to help
This research is focused on drug design and may not directly benefit patients during the study period.
What this research studies
This project aims to map how antibiotics enter and accumulate inside Gram-negative bacteria using machine learning and experimental testing. They will build predictive models for active efflux and outer-membrane permeation and test a chemical library across multiple bacterial species. The goal is to guide the design of compounds with better penetration to combat difficult infections. The work involves clinical-relevant pathogens and translational steps toward more effective antibacterial agents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from antibiotics that more reliably reach their bacterial targets and treat hard-to-treat infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown that modeling permeability and efflux can guide antibiotic development, with partial success in predicting permeation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Oklahoma
Norman, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zgurskaya, Helen I — University of Oklahoma
- Study coordinator: Zgurskaya, Helen I
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.