How bacteria sense stress and influence antibiotic resistance
Official title: Molecular regulation of stress sensing and processing in gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial models.
Funded at Oklahoma State University Stillwater · NIH-11088655 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are testing ways to block or hijack bacterial stress sensing so antibiotics can kill resistant infections more effectively.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Oklahoma State University Stillwater NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stillwater, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $364,886 |
| NIH project number | 2R35GM138018-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11088655 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, especially those with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, would be the most likely future candidates to benefit from therapies developed here.
✕Less likely to help
People with non-bacterial illnesses (for example viral infections or chronic noninfectious conditions) are unlikely to get direct benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This project studies how bacteria detect stressful conditions and change their behavior to survive. The team examines two bacteria in the lab: Bacillus subtilis as a basic model and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a common cause of hard-to-treat human infections. Scientists are probing the proteins and molecular pathways that control stress responses and the toxin-like pyocins some bacteria release to kill competitors. By learning how these systems work, they aim to find approaches that make bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics or use bacterial responses to eliminate pathogens.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments or drug combinations that make antibiotics more effective against drug-resistant infections.
How similar studies have gone: Related laboratory and animal studies targeting bacterial stress responses have shown promise, but such approaches are not yet established as clinical treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Oklahoma State University Stillwater
Stillwater, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cabeen, Matthew T — Oklahoma State University Stillwater
- Study coordinator: Cabeen, Matthew T
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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.