How staph bacteria fight viruses and spread antibiotic resistance
Mechanisms of anti-phage defenses and their mobilization in staphylococci
This project looks at how staph bacteria defend against viruses and how that influences antibiotic-resistant infections in people.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11257273 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study staphylococcal bacteria and the viruses (phages) that infect them to see what defense systems the bacteria use. They will examine defenses like CRISPR and other anti-phage mechanisms and track how related genes move between strains. Lab experiments will test how these defenses affect whether phages can kill bacteria or whether genes for resistance and virulence get passed along. The team aims to identify points where interventions could make phage therapies work better or slow the spread of harmful genes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with recurrent or antibiotic-resistant staph skin and soft tissue infections, or those willing to donate staph samples or swabs for research, would be most relevant.
Not a fit: People with unrelated medical issues or those seeking immediate treatment are unlikely to receive direct clinical benefit from this basic laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help improve virus-based treatments for resistant staph and reduce the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes.
How similar studies have performed: Phage therapy and CRISPR-based approaches have shown promise against resistant staph in some studies, but detailed work on anti-phage defenses and their movement between strains is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
Champaign, United States
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — Champaign, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hatoum, Asma — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Hatoum, Asma
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.