Genomics support for drug‑resistant gut infections
Functional Genomics Core
This project uses advanced genomic and molecular tests to understand how antibiotic‑resistant bacteria take hold in the guts of immunocompromised and seriously ill patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159486 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You or other patients in the program would provide stool and possibly other clinical samples that the lab analyzes. The core runs DNA sequencing (including 16S and shotgun metagenomics) and combines that with metabolite and protein profiling to see how microbes and pathogens interact. Researchers link those molecular patterns to which patients become colonized or go on to get infections like VRE, CRE/ESBL, or C. difficile. The core provides the sequencing and analytic support for multiple projects aimed at protecting vulnerable patients from these infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are immunocompromised or seriously ill patients who are hospitalized or receive care where antibiotic‑resistant gut pathogens are a risk.
Not a fit: Healthy people with no history of hospitalization or antibiotic exposure and low risk of gut colonization are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help develop tests or strategies to predict and prevent antibiotic‑resistant gut infections in vulnerable patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genomics and metagenomics studies have provided useful insights into the microbiome, but combining genomics with metabolomics and metaproteomics in immunocompromised patients is a newer and less tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Methodist Hospital Research Institute — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Haag, Anthony — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Haag, Anthony
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.