Bacteriophage tools to help fight bacterial infections
Official title: Bacteriophage strategies to lyse bacterial cells
Funded at Texas A&m University · NIH-11385262 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project at Texas A&M is studying how virus particles called phages break open bacteria to kill them, with the goal of better understanding and using these natural weapons against bacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $366,011 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM155289-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11385262 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to this grant as described (basic science study with bacterial systems; no direct patient recruitment).
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient participation or benefit is described in this basic science project.
What this research studies
This grant explores how bacteriophages release new viral particles by breaking down the bacterial cell envelope, a key step in phage biology. Researchers will experimentally characterize novel phage lysis proteins to understand how they target different layers of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The work combines biochemical studies and modern analysis to reveal how these proteins work and how bacteria respond. The findings could inform future therapies that use phages or phage-derived proteins to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new ways to treat bacterial infections using phages or phage proteins, potentially helping patients whose infections are hard to treat with antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: Previous phage studies on lysis proteins have revealed universal principles, with ongoing work expanding understanding in novel proteins.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m University
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramsey, Jolene — Texas A&m University
- Study coordinator: Ramsey, Jolene
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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.