Creating engineered bacteria that can detect and respond to diseases.
Official title: Synthetic biology tools and strategies to streamline the sensing and responding to disease cues in engineered theragnostic bacteria.
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11017253 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is exploring how specially designed bacteria can detect signs of diseases like infections or inflammation and respond by releasing helpful medicines right where they're needed in your body, making treatments more personalized and effective.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $402,500 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM156762-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11017253 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research would include individuals suffering from conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, infections, or metabolic disorders.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions that do not involve bacterial interactions or those who are not responsive to microbial therapies may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing engineered bacteria that can sense specific disease cues and respond accordingly, potentially delivering personalized medicine. These bacteria could be programmed to react to various health conditions, such as infections or inflammatory diseases, by producing therapeutic compounds. The approach involves creating biological circuits that allow these microbes to operate effectively in different parts of the body, including the gut and skin, and even target distant tissues like tumors. By overcoming current limitations in bacterial sensing systems, this research aims to enhance the effectiveness of these theragnostic agents.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to innovative treatments that utilize engineered bacteria to provide targeted therapies for various diseases.
How similar studies have gone: While the concept of engineered bacteria is promising, this specific approach to creating responsive theragnostic bacteria is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested in prior research.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dwidar, Mohammed — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Dwidar, Mohammed
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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.