Corneal infection: how eye bacteria invade and resist treatment
Official title: Significance of Corneal Cell Invasion by Bacteria
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11456176 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how the eye’s cornea interacts with Pseudomonas bacteria, looking for ways the bacteria invade and how the cornea defends itself to guide better treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 1995 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $540,141 |
| NIH project number | 2R01EY011221-27 |
| Project ID | NIH-11456176 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with or at risk for corneal infections where Pseudomonas aeruginosa is involved or suspected.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Pseudomonas infections or without access to advanced eye care may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
For people with eye infections, this research examines how Pseudomonas aeruginosa can hide inside corneal cells and persist despite antibiotics. The team uses human eye cell models and mouse corneas to observe the bacteria’s behavior in real time, studying its intracellular lifestyle and how it resists standard therapies. They will identify factors that help or hinder bacterial invasion and link these to potential treatment strategies. The work also develops imaging methods and bacterial tools to quantitatively analyze infections in living tissue. Overall, the project aims to translate basic findings into approaches that improve outcomes for patients with corneal infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to better treatments that overcome bacterial persistence in the cornea and reduce vision loss from infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has demonstrated intracellular infection and advanced imaging capabilities, informing ongoing studies and suggesting potential for meaningful advances.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fleiszig, Suzanne Mj — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Fleiszig, Suzanne Mj
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.