Carbazoles as chemical probes to understand antibiotic resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii
Official title: Extending carbazoles as chemical probes from Staphylococci to Acinetobacters
Funded at High Point University · NIH-11360864 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist is studying how a small molecule class called carbazoles can reveal how A. baumannii becomes resistant to last-resort antibiotics and may help uncover new ways to combat infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | High Point University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (High Point, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2019 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $558,310 |
| NIH project number | 2R15GM134503-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11360864 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with A. baumannii infections or at-risk individuals in healthcare settings may benefit from advances informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
The study is laboratory-based and may not directly benefit patients in the short term.
What this research studies
This project uses carbazole compounds to probe the regulatory networks that control antibiotic resistance and virulence in Acinetobacter baumannii. The work includes comparing how the bacteria respond at the gene expression level when treated with these compounds and creating related chemical probes to study the regulatory pathways. Researchers aim to learn how Stk1-like regulators influence resistance to colistin and how these findings could guide the development of new therapies. The study builds on prior findings that 4-bromocarbazole can sensitize bacteria to antibiotics and plans to expand this chemical biology approach across multiple strains. The long-term goal is to reveal transcriptional control points that could be targeted to weaken resistance and virulence in tough bacterial infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding regulatory mechanisms could lead to new strategies to counteract antibiotic resistance and improve treatment options for infections caused by A. baumannii.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests carbazole probes can modulate bacterial resistance pathways, with potential for broader application across bacteria.
Where this research is happening
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High Point University
High Point, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Heather B — High Point University
- Study coordinator: Miller, Heather B
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.