How bacteria alter their outer surface to resist powerful antibiotics
Mechanisms of Lipid A Modification Impacting Antimicrobial Resistance
Researchers are looking for ways to block bacteria like Acinetobacter baumannii from changing their outer membrane so last-resort antibiotics such as colistin keep working for patients with resistant infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boulder, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266176 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project studies how Gram-negative bacteria chemically modify a part of their outer membrane called lipid A to evade human antimicrobial peptides and drugs like colistin. Scientists will dissect the enzymes and steps that add 4-amino-arabinose (Ara4N) to lipid A and use laboratory-grown bacterial strains to test compounds that block this pathway. Promising blockers will be examined for their ability to restore bacterial sensitivity to colistin in lab experiments and relevant infection models. The aim is to find molecules that could be developed into drugs that make existing antibiotics effective again against multidrug-resistant pathogens.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with current or recurrent infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria—especially Acinetobacter baumannii infections that do not respond to usual antibiotics—would be most relevant to this line of research.
Not a fit: Patients with infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria or those whose infections respond well to standard antibiotics are unlikely to benefit directly from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could restore the effectiveness of last-resort antibiotics such as colistin against deadly multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
How similar studies have performed: Related preclinical work targeting lipid A modification has shown promising laboratory results but has not yet produced approved drugs for patients.
Where this research is happening
Boulder, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado — Boulder, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sousa, Marcelo C. — University of Colorado
- Study coordinator: Sousa, Marcelo C.
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.