Detecting hidden bacterial states that cause antibiotics to fail
A blind source separation approach for deconvolution of bulk transcriptional data leads to early detection of ATF cell-states in complex bacterial populations, in vitro and in vivo
This project aims to find hidden bacterial states that make antibiotics stop working, which could help doctors treat infections and even some cancers more effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11117127 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Sometimes, antibiotics don't work because bacteria can temporarily change into "hidden" states that resist treatment, similar to challenges faced in cancer care. These hidden states are hard to detect with current tests and can lead to infections coming back or becoming fully resistant. This project uses advanced computer methods to identify these tricky bacterial states in complex populations. By understanding these states, we hope to develop better ways to predict and prevent antibiotic treatment failure. This approach could also offer new insights into why some cancer treatments fail.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research could eventually benefit patients experiencing recurrent bacterial infections or those with cancers that are difficult to treat due to resistance.
Not a fit: Patients whose infections respond well to standard antibiotic treatments or whose cancers are not characterized by similar resistance mechanisms may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new diagnostic tools that predict when antibiotic treatments might fail, allowing doctors to choose more effective therapies sooner.
How similar studies have performed: While identifying these transient bacterial states is challenging, new strategies are emerging, and this project builds upon existing computational tools to improve their capabilities.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Children's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Opijnen, Tim — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Van Opijnen, Tim
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.