New antibiotics for drug-resistant Gram-negative infections including Acinetobacter
Discovering antimicrobials acting against MDR pathogens
Searching for new antibiotics to help people with infections caused by drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria like Acinetobacter baumannii.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11160670 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are building a discovery platform that looks to previously uncultured bacteria (for example from soil) as a source of new antibiotic compounds. They will screen large numbers of compounds and use lab tests to weed out toxic or already-known molecules. Promising candidates will be tested in laboratory models and in animals against priority multidrug-resistant Gram-negative pathogens such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, and resistant Enterobacteriaceae. Successful candidates could then move toward the studies needed to test them in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative organisms (for example carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Acinetobacter baumannii) would be the most likely candidates for future trials resulting from this work.
Not a fit: People without bacterial infections, or with infections caused by antibiotic‑sensitive bacteria or by non‑Gram‑negative organisms, are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce new antibiotics that treat infections when current drugs no longer work against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: Past efforts that screened soil bacteria led to many antibiotics and recent discoveries like teixobactin show the approach can yield novel compounds, but finding new drugs active against Gram‑negative pathogens remains difficult and largely unproven in patients.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Northeastern University — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lewis, Kim — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Lewis, Kim
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.