Polymers that block bacterial toxins and influence sperm function
Polymer Approaches to Receptor Activation and Inhibition
Designer polymer molecules aim to stop cholera bacteria/toxin from sticking to cells and to help detect sperm that can't undergo a key reaction.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11311325 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are making sugar-decorated polymers that bind cholera toxin and the bacteria so they form large clumps that can't attach to gut cells. The team will test different polymer designs in the lab to measure how well they capture toxin, slow bacterial spread, and whether they are safe in toxicity tests and animal models. In a separate line, similar polymers that trigger acrosomal exocytosis in sperm are being explored to develop better molecular diagnostics for some forms of male subfertility. Together the work aims to move from lab models toward simple oral therapeutics for cholera and lab tests for sperm dysfunction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living in or traveling to cholera-endemic areas and men with unexplained infertility who may have sperm acrosome dysfunction.
Not a fit: Individuals with non-bacterial causes of diarrhea or infertility due to factors unrelated to sperm acrosome function are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce a simple oral agent to reduce cholera infections and new diagnostic tests for certain types of male infertility.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory studies and related polymer approaches have shown promise in clumping cholera toxin and activating sperm in cell and animal models, but clinical benefit in people has not yet been established.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sampson, Nicole S — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Sampson, Nicole S
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.