How antibiotic-resistance genes move between bacteria and change their growth
Tradeoffs between fitness costs and transfer rates in horizontal gene transfer
This project looks at how bacteria share antibiotic-resistance genes and how that sharing affects bacterial growth, which is important for treating infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11228784 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will work with clinical bacterial samples and lab strains to measure how often resistance-carrying plasmids move between bacteria and how that movement changes bacterial growth and survival. They will combine high-throughput lab measurements with genome sequencing to track which plasmids transfer and quantify any fitness cost to the host bacteria. The team builds on prior work showing many clinical isolates can transfer extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) plasmids and will map when plasmids persist or disappear in populations. Results aim to reveal rules that predict which resistance elements are likely to spread in infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with bacterial infections—especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant strains such as ESBL-producing bacteria—who can provide bacterial samples at participating hospitals would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: Patients without bacterial infections or with infections caused by non-resistant organisms are unlikely to directly benefit from participation in this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify plasmid features that drive the spread of antibiotic resistance and suggest ways to slow or prevent that spread, helping preserve antibiotic effectiveness.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory and genomic studies, including the team's own data showing plasmid transfer among clinical isolates, support the approach, though applying these findings to clinical treatments is still an active area of research.
Where this research is happening
Durham, United States
- Duke University — Durham, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: You, Lingchong — Duke University
- Study coordinator: You, Lingchong
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.