How the BrkB protein helps tuberculosis bacteria grow
Official title: Characterizing the requirement of the mycobacterial BrkB ortholog in TB pathogenesis
Funded at Lake Forest College · NIH-11182684 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether a bacterial protein called BrkB helps TB bacteria grow and could become a new drug target for people with tuberculosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lake Forest College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lake Forest, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $108,857 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI184352-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11182684 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with active pulmonary tuberculosis, especially those with drug-resistant or late-stage disease, would be the most relevant eventual candidates for therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without tuberculosis, those with non-mycobacterial infections, and most children (under 21) are unlikely to benefit directly from this laboratory-focused work.
What this research studies
Researchers will study a mycobacterial protein called BrkB that may be important for TB growth and transmission. In the lab they will purify the BrkB protein and test whether it acts as a channel and interacts with other proteins. They will use a related bacterium (Mycobacterium marinum) in a zebrafish model and cell-based tests to see how BrkB mutations change bacterial growth inside and outside host cells, including conditions that mimic late-stage infection. The findings are intended to reveal whether blocking BrkB could weaken TB bacteria and guide development of new drugs.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify a new bacterial target that leads to drugs shortening treatment and helping people with drug-resistant or late-stage TB.
How similar studies have gone: Scientists have successfully used zebrafish and Mycobacterium marinum to study TB-like infection, but directly targeting BrkB is a new and untested approach for therapy development.
Where this research is happening
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Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conrad, William Henry — Lake Forest College
- Study coordinator: Conrad, William Henry
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding a potential TB drug target in the bacteria that cause tuberculosis
A scientist team is studying a bacterial protein called BrkB to see if it could be a new target for drugs to treat tuberculosis.
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Investigating a potential new drug target for tuberculosis
This study is looking at a protein called BrkB to see how it helps tuberculosis bacteria grow and cause illness, using zebrafish to find new ways to develop better treatments for tuberculosis, especially against tough, antibiotic-resistant strains.
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.