Improving antibiotic dosing for severe pneumonia
Official title: Systems-based pharmacologic modelling to elucidate beta-lactam clinical pharmacodynamics and define optimal dosing regimens in severe pneumonia
Funded at Midwestern University · NIH-11125985 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to find the best way to give beta-lactam antibiotics to patients with severe pneumonia, especially when their illness makes the medicine less effective.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Midwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Downers Grove, United States) |
| Project start | July 11, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $669,238 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI158530-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11125985 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is most relevant to patients who have severe hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria and are critically ill.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with mild pneumonia or those not receiving beta-lactam antibiotics may not directly benefit from this specific dosing optimization.
What this research studies
When patients are critically ill with pneumonia, especially from resistant bacteria like Klebsiella or Pseudomonas, standard antibiotic doses might not work as well because their bodies process the medicine differently. This can lead to treatment failure and serious complications. Our goal is to create personalized dosing plans, called 'Precision Dosing,' that adjust the amount of antibiotic based on each patient's unique needs. We are using information and samples from previous patients to build better models for how these antibiotics work in very sick individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective antibiotic treatments, fewer treatment failures, and improved survival rates for patients with severe pneumonia.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds upon and extends existing research infrastructure and data from the Successful Clinical Response In Pneumonia Therapy (SCRIPT) Systems Biology Center, suggesting a foundation of prior work in this area.
Where this research is happening
-
Midwestern University
Downers Grove, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rhodes, Nathaniel James — Midwestern University
- Study coordinator: Rhodes, Nathaniel James
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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.