How the body withholds zinc during Acinetobacter baumannii infections
Host-mediated zinc sequestration during Acinetobacter baumannii infection
['FUNDING_R01'] · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11310142
It looks at how the body's control of zinc affects antibiotic-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii infections to help people with serious hospital-acquired lung, wound, and bloodstream infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11310142 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If you have an Acinetobacter baumannii infection, this work studies how your immune system uses a protein called calprotectin to lock up zinc and limit bacterial growth. Researchers will study bacterial genes and responses to zinc restriction using laboratory models and human-relevant samples to find bacterial systems that allow survival. The team aims to identify weak points in the bacteria's zinc-handling machinery that could be targeted by new therapies. Findings would guide approaches that mimic the body's metal-withholding defenses to fight drug-resistant A. baumannii.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People hospitalized with suspected or confirmed Acinetobacter baumannii infections—especially ICU patients with pneumonia, wound infections, or bloodstream infections—would be the most relevant group.
Not a fit: People with infections caused by other bacteria or healthy community members are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new treatments that block the bacteria's zinc-scavenging tools and improve outcomes for people with drug-resistant A. baumannii infections.
How similar studies have performed: Targeting bacterial metal acquisition is a promising and partly-tested approach for other pathogens, but applying zinc-sequestration strategies to A. baumannii remains an emerging, mainly preclinical area.
Where this research is happening
NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES
- VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER — NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SKAAR, ERIC P — VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: SKAAR, ERIC 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.
Conditions: Airway infections