Bacterial stress responses and a potential new antimicrobial target
Official title: Bacterial responses to stress
Funded at Illinois State University · NIH-11424696 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A bacteria-focused project explores how polyphosphate helps bacteria survive stress and how a drug already approved for humans could make bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Illinois State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Normal, United States) |
| Project start | August 3, 2026 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $148,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R16GM165506-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11424696 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable; basic science work on bacteria.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient involvement in this basic science project.
What this research studies
This project studies polyphosphate, a molecule that helps Gram-negative bacteria endure stress, resist antibiotics, and form biofilms. It investigates how polyP is made by the enzyme Ppk1 and how blocking this enzyme with mesalamine could weaken bacteria and improve responses to existing antibiotics. The work uses biochemical and microbiological methods to understand the mechanisms by which polyP protects bacteria and how disrupting it affects bacterial envelopes under stress. Findings could guide development of host-safe therapies that sensitize bacteria to standard treatments. The research is conducted at Illinois State University under the direction of Jan-Ulrik Dahl.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new strategies that make bacteria easier to treat with current antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest that targeting polyP synthesis may mimic polyP-deficient bacterial states and sensitize bacteria to antibiotics.
Where this research is happening
-
Illinois State University
Normal, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dahl, Jan-Ulrik — Illinois State University
- Study coordinator: Dahl, Jan-Ulrik
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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.