Blocking bacterial communication to slow infections
Chemical Strategies to Modulate Intercellular Bacterial Communication
Scientists are creating chemicals that stop bacteria from 'talking' so infections may be easier to prevent or treat.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11320902 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This lab project focuses on how bacteria use small chemical signals to shift into a group state that makes them more likely to cause infection. Chemists design and synthesize small molecules that can block or mimic those signals, while biologists test how those molecules change bacterial behavior in cultures and mixed microbial communities. The team studies how signaling molecules bind to bacterial receptors and how signals move between cells to find weak points to target. The overall goal is to reduce bacterial virulence without relying only on traditional antibiotics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: There is no patient enrollment in this lab-based project, but people with recurrent, antibiotic-resistant, or hard-to-treat bacterial infections could be future beneficiaries.
Not a fit: Patients with viral illnesses or those who need immediate standard antibiotic therapy are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this research in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat bacterial infections by stopping bacteria from turning on their harmful behaviors.
How similar studies have performed: Related laboratory and animal studies targeting bacterial quorum sensing have shown encouraging results, but human treatments based on this approach remain largely experimental.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Blackwell, Helen E. — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Blackwell, Helen E.
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 below.