Engineered non-growing bacteria that stay active to deliver medicines
Dissecting the non-growing-but-active state of a hybrid bacteria-material microdevice
Researchers are building bacteria that can't reproduce but remain active so they can carry drugs or gene-editing tools safely to disease sites in patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11131065 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project combines living bacteria with synthetic materials to create hybrid devices that keep bacterial metabolism, movement, and protein production but stop them from dividing. The team is testing how to block replication while preserving useful functions like sensing chemicals and making therapies. Work includes laboratory experiments on bacterial behavior in the hybrid material and safety checks to prevent mutation and spread. The goal is to create a controllable delivery system that could be dosed precisely and limit risks of uncontrolled bacterial growth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with localized conditions that might be treated by targeted bacterial therapy (for example certain gut disorders or tumor sites) could be candidates for future clinical trials.
Not a fit: People with widespread systemic infections, severely weakened immune systems, or conditions not suited to localized microbial delivery are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow targeted delivery of drugs or gene therapies by bacteria while reducing the risk of uncontrolled infection or environmental spread.
How similar studies have performed: Previous lab studies have shown promise using engineered bacteria for delivery, but creating non-replicating yet active bacterial devices is a newer, largely unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Davis, United States
- University of California at Davis — Davis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tan, Cheemeng — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Tan, Cheemeng
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.