How gut bacteria switch from harmless colonizers to causing infections
Project 1: Genomics of Pathobionts and Transition From Colonization to Infection
This project looks at how antibiotic-resistant germs in the gut turn into infections in hospitalized patients.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159490 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers collect gut samples from hospitalized, often critically ill, patients and sequence the genomes of bacteria such as ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, C. difficile, and VRE to track changes over time. They follow patients before and during episodes of colonization and infection to identify genetic changes and shifts in the microbial community that come before disease. The team compares strains found in the gut with those causing actual infections to find patterns that predict who will become infected. The study also examines how antibiotic use and hospital exposures influence the transition from colonization to infection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are hospitalized patients—particularly those in intensive care or receiving antibiotics—who may carry antibiotic-resistant bacteria in their intestines.
Not a fit: People who are healthy, not hospitalized, or have no evidence of gut colonization with resistant organisms are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help prevent infections and guide more precise treatments for dangerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: Previous genomic work has sometimes linked gut colonization to later infections, but using longitudinal sampling across multiple priority pathogens is a more comprehensive and relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Methodist Hospital Research Institute — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arias, Cesar Augusto — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Arias, Cesar Augusto
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.