How disease-causing bacteria manage metals and sulfur-based defenses
Transition Metal Homeostasis and Reactive Sulfur Species in Bacterial Pathogens
This project is learning how bacteria like Acinetobacter and Staph use metals and sulfur molecules to protect themselves, so new treatments for drug-resistant infections can be developed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Trustees of Indiana University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bloomington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11121754 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team studies hospital and respiratory bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae to understand how they control transition metals and produce reactive sulfur species. Researchers combine inorganic chemistry and microbial physiology to map protein metallosensors, metallochaperones, and hydrogen sulfide–related signaling (persulfidation). Most experiments are laboratory-based using bacterial strains and biochemical methods to reveal how these pathways help bacteria resist stress and antibiotics. The findings aim to point to weak spots that could be targeted by future antibiotics or therapies.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People infected with or at high risk for infections from Acinetobacter baumannii, Staphylococcus aureus, or Streptococcus pneumoniae—especially antibiotic-resistant cases—would be most relevant to this research.
Not a fit: People without bacterial infections or with illnesses caused by unrelated pathogens or non-infectious conditions are unlikely to get direct benefit from this laboratory-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets for antibiotics that better kill or weaken drug-resistant bacteria and improve treatment options for serious infections.
How similar studies have performed: Laboratory studies have shown that metal handling and hydrogen sulfide pathways help bacteria tolerate stress and antibiotics, but translating those findings into new drugs is still largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
Bloomington, United States
- Trustees of Indiana University — Bloomington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Giedroc, David P. — Trustees of Indiana University
- Study coordinator: Giedroc, David P.
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.