Exploring unknown proteins in microbes to improve understanding of diseases and antibiotic resistance
Official title: Connecting the universe of proteins to address annotation inequality in the microbial proteome
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11092830 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a lot of unknown proteins in germs to figure out how they might affect things like illness and resistance to antibiotics, and the results will be shared in an easy-to-use online tool for researchers to help them learn more about these germs and their effects on health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | August 9, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $447,305 |
| NIH project number | 5U01AI176418-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11092830 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for benefiting from this research include individuals affected by antibiotic-resistant infections or related microbial diseases.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-microbial related conditions or those not affected by antibiotic resistance may not receive direct benefits from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the vast number of microbial proteins that remain uncharacterized, often referred to as the 'dark proteome.' By utilizing advanced comparative genomics techniques, the project aims to identify connections between unknown proteins and those with established functions, shedding light on their potential roles in virulence and antibiotic resistance. The findings will be compiled into a publicly accessible web tool, allowing researchers to explore these relationships and gain insights into microbial biology. This approach seeks to accelerate the understanding of microbial functions that could impact health and disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new insights into microbial functions that contribute to antibiotic resistance and disease, ultimately improving treatment strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Other research in comparative genomics has shown promise in uncovering the functions of unknown proteins, indicating that this approach could yield significant insights.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wright, Erik Scott — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Wright, Erik Scott
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.