How the gut's bacterial layout and timing affect antibiotic resistance
Connecting the Spatiotemporal Organization of Gut Bacterial Communities to the Emergence and Spread of Antibiotic Resistance
This project aims to change how gut bacteria are arranged over space and time to stop antibiotic-resistant germs from emerging and spreading, which could help people at risk of resistant infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11372658 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers are looking at where and when different bacteria live inside the gut and how that affects the rise and spread of antibiotic resistance. They will use engineered microbes, lab models of the intestine, and imaging or genetic tools to map and manipulate bacterial communities. The team will study how close bacteria need to be to swap resistance genes and how changes in community structure change transmission between hosts. Findings could point to ways to reshape the gut environment to prevent resistant bacteria from taking hold.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have frequent antibiotic use, recurrent infections, or a history of antibiotic-resistant infections are most likely to benefit from related future studies or interventions.
Not a fit: People without recent antibiotic exposure, low risk of resistant infections, or unrelated health issues may not see direct benefit from this line of research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new methods to prevent or limit antibiotic-resistant infections by altering gut bacterial communities before resistant strains cause disease.
How similar studies have performed: Microbiome approaches like fecal transplants have helped certain infections, but directly targeting the physical arrangement of gut bacteria to block resistance spread is a novel idea that has not yet been proven in people.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wiles, Travis J — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Wiles, Travis J
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.