Competitive microbial interactions in biofilm infections and how they shape pathogen adaptation
Official title: Competitive microbial interactions driving pathogen adaptation during biofilm-associated infections
Funded at Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ · NIH-11438724 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how different microbes interact in chronic wound infections to understand which organisms drive disease and how they respond to treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Blacksburg, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $199,059 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI202210-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11438724 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with chronic, nonhealing skin wounds where polymicrobial infections are suspected.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-wound-related infections or those not receiving wound care could see no direct benefit.
What this research studies
Chronic wound infections are costly and common, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa often plays a key role. The study will use a pig skin wound model to mimic human wounds and track single microbial lineages to see how communities form and change. By studying polymicrobial interactions, researchers aim to identify which microbes are actually causing problems and how they adapt to therapies. The goal is to translate these findings into better, more targeted wound care in the clinic.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to smarter antimicrobial strategies and improved wound healing for patients with chronic infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that polymicrobial communities can influence treatment outcomes, but this project advances analysis with advanced lineage tracking in a clinically relevant model.
Where this research is happening
-
Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
Blacksburg, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gloag, Erin S. — Virginia Polytechnic Inst and St Univ
- Study coordinator: Gloag, Erin S.
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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.