How bacteria make common antibiotics stop working
BETA LACTAMASE MUTATIONS IN ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE
The project will learn how specific bacterial enzymes break down common beta-lactam antibiotics to help people facing drug-resistant infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11245721 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this work looks at the enzymes that let bacteria destroy penicillins, cephalosporins and carbapenems so doctors lose treatment options. The team uses biochemical experiments and structural methods to measure how antibiotics and inhibitors bind to enzymes like KPC-2 and how quickly the enzymes chemically break the drugs. They examine changes in enzyme shape and dynamics and measure binding affinities and reaction rates to pinpoint what makes some drugs vulnerable. The findings are meant to guide the design of new antibiotics or molecules that block the enzymes and restore drug effectiveness.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with serious infections caused by KPC-producing Enterobacteriaceae or those willing to provide bacterial samples for research would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People without bacterial infections or whose infections are driven by non-beta-lactam resistance mechanisms are unlikely to see direct benefit from this project in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help create new antibiotics or enzyme-blocking drugs that work against infections caused by KPC-producing, drug-resistant bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: Biochemical and structural studies of other beta-lactamases have informed successful inhibitor development, but KPC-type enzymes remain a particularly challenging and active research area.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Palzkill, Timothy — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Palzkill, Timothy
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.