Bacterial Ser/Thr Kinases: How bacteria sense and adapt to their environment
Official title: Physiological and Developmental Role of Bacterial Ser/Thr Kinases
Funded at Northeastern University · NIH-11381845 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying a specific bacterial signaling system to understand how bacteria grow, become resistant to antibiotics, and form biofilms, with the goal of improving human health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $392,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147429-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381845 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable as this is a basic science study in bacteria, not a patient-facing clinical trial.
✕Less likely to help
Direct patient benefit is not the focus of this bench research.
What this research studies
This project digs into bacterial signaling using Hanks-type serine/threonine kinases and phosphatases to see how these proteins control cell growth, division, and responses to antibiotics. Researchers will perform mechanistic and quantitative analyses to map how these signaling networks work at both the whole-population and single-cell levels. Findings could reveal how bacteria develop rare high-risk traits like antibiotic resistance and virulence. The work aims to connect basic biology to potential implications for human health and disease. The study is conducted in the lab setting with bacterial models and cellular analyses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A deeper understanding of bacterial signaling could lead to new approaches to prevent or counteract antibiotic resistance and virulence in bacteria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that bacterial signaling systems influence resistance and virulence, supporting the relevance of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Northeastern University
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Libby, Elizabeth — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Libby, Elizabeth
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.