Bioinformatic discovery of new RiPP natural products
Official title: Bioinformatic Guided Discovery and Characterization of New RiPP Natural Products
Funded at University of North Carolina Greensboro · NIH-11326685 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team will use computer-guided methods to find and study new RiPP natural compounds that could become antibiotics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Carolina Greensboro NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Greensboro, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $348,201 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147439-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326685 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients; this is a basic science project in a lab setting.
✕Less likely to help
There is no direct participant involvement in this grant.
What this research studies
This project uses genome mining and biochemical analyses to uncover new RiPP natural products and understand how their biosynthetic pathways work. By combining bioinformatics with detailed lab work, researchers aim to identify promising compounds and evaluate their bioactivity, especially against antibiotic targets. The work focuses on enzyme-independent genome mining to guide discovery and characterization, bridging in silico predictions with laboratory validation. The goal is to expand our knowledge of nature’s antibiotics and their biosynthetic logic to support future drug development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could reveal new antibiotic compounds and inform strategies to combat resistant infections.
How similar studies have gone: Similar genome-mining approaches have yielded novel bioactive natural products, with several RiPPs showing promising bioactivity in prior work.
Where this research is happening
-
University of North Carolina Greensboro
Greensboro, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chekan, Jonathan Rodi — University of North Carolina Greensboro
- Study coordinator: Chekan, Jonathan Rodi
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.