How viruses infect antibiotic-resistant bacteria
Official title: RNA penetrations into bacteria.
Funded at Texas A&m Agrilife Research · NIH-11136369 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how tiny viruses called bacteriophages infect harmful bacteria like those causing serious infections, aiming to find new ways to fight them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Texas A&m Agrilife Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Station, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $469,630 |
| NIH project number | 5R01GM141659-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11136369 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This foundational research does not directly involve patients, but future applications could benefit individuals suffering from serious antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections caused by *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* or *Acinetobacter spp.*
✕Less likely to help
Patients without bacterial infections or those with infections caused by bacteria not targeted by these specific phages may not directly benefit from this particular research.
What this research studies
We are learning how specific viruses, known as ssRNA phages, deliver their genetic material into bacteria such as *Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Acinetobacter spp.*, which are often resistant to antibiotics. These phages use structures called pili on the bacteria to attach and inject their RNA. By understanding these infection steps, including how the phage packages its RNA and interacts with the bacterial pili, we hope to uncover new weaknesses in these dangerous bacteria. This knowledge could help us develop new treatments against infections that are currently very difficult to cure.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for treating severe bacterial infections, especially those resistant to current antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: While the infection mechanisms of some model bacteriophages are known, this project explores newly identified phages and their unique infection pathways in important human pathogens, making it a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Texas A&m Agrilife Research
College Station, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhang, Junjie — Texas A&m Agrilife Research
- Study coordinator: Zhang, Junjie
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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.