Molecular tricks of cholera bugs and their phages in Bangladesh
Official title: Molecular mechanisms driving the coevolution of clinical isolates of phages and epidemic Vibrio cholerae
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11538387 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study in Bangladesh and at UC Berkeley looks at how cholera bacteria and their viruses change together over time, with the goal of understanding why new, more dangerous variants emerge.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2020 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $73,181 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI153303-07S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11538387 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients in regions affected by cholera who contribute clinical isolates or samples to ongoing collection efforts or whose data may be used in secondary analyses.
✕Less likely to help
The study is research-focused and may not directly change care for any individual patient in the short term.
What this research studies
Researchers will compare historical and current samples of Vibrio cholerae and their phages from clinical settings to map how mobile genetic elements help bacteria resist phages. They will use a clinical collection established with icddr, b to observe reciprocal adaptations in real-world infections. The work combines genomics, CRISPR/Cas biology, and collaboration between institutions to reveal how epidemic strains survive in human and environmental reservoirs. Findings could point to strategies that disrupt phage-bacteria arms races and reduce future outbreaks.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Insights from this work could inform new approaches to prevent and control cholera outbreaks by targeting the genetic mechanisms bacteria use to resist phages.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown phage-bacteria interactions shape epidemic strains, with ongoing research building on these findings in cholera.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Seed, Kimberley Diane — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Seed, Kimberley Diane
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.