Finding new ways to prevent infections caused by urinary catheters
Official title: Harnessing polymicrobial interactions in the catheterized urinary tract to identify novel inhibitors of Proteus mirabilis urease activity
Funded at State University of New York at Buffalo · NIH-11061285 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how certain bacteria can cause urinary tract infections in people with catheters and is trying to find safer ways to stop these infections by exploring natural substances from other bacteria that can help prevent problems like blockages and stones.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Fellowship grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | State University of New York at Buffalo NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Amherst, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $34,680 |
| NIH project number | 5F30DK136213-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11061285 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients with long-term indwelling urinary catheters who are at risk for catheter-associated urinary tract infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without urinary catheters or those who do not experience urinary tract infections may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), which are a major cause of bloodstream infections in hospitals. It investigates how certain bacteria, particularly Proteus mirabilis, produce urease, an enzyme that leads to complications like catheter blockage and urinary stones. The researchers are exploring metabolites from other bacteria that can inhibit urease activity, aiming to identify safer alternatives to the currently used drug, acetohydroxamic acid, which has significant side effects. By analyzing bacterial interactions and metabolites, the study seeks to develop new treatments to prevent these infections and their complications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to safer and more effective treatments for preventing urinary catheter-related infections and their serious complications.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in targeting bacterial interactions to mitigate infection severity, suggesting that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
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State University of New York at Buffalo
Amherst, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Guterman, Lauren Beryl — State University of New York at Buffalo
- Study coordinator: Guterman, Lauren Beryl
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.