Rapid tests to type Klebsiella capsules and design targeted phage treatments
Official title: Rapid assays for diagnostic typing of Klebsiella capsules and rational design of therapeutic phage cocktails
Funded at J. David Gladstone Institutes · NIH-11265557 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project to quickly identify Klebsiella capsule types and design precise phage cocktails to treat infections, using high-throughput tests.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | J. David Gladstone Institutes NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | May 11, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $513,792 |
| NIH project number | 1P01AI195327-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11265557 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Klebsiella infections, especially those with antibiotic-resistant strains, could benefit from rapid capsule typing and phage-based treatment approaches.
✕Less likely to help
If the infection is already well-controlled or not caused by capsule-variant Klebsiella, direct benefit may be limited.
What this research studies
If you or a loved one has a Klebsiella infection, this project aims to speed up how doctors identify the specific capsule type of the bacteria and tailor a mix of bacteriophages to target it. Researchers will create a multiplex PCR DNA microarray that can rapidly detect capsule types without needing complex sequencing or culture. By matching phages to capsule types, the effort seeks to improve the chances that phage therapy works across diverse clinical strains. The work focuses on making rapid, scalable tools so clinicians can deploy customized phage treatments sooner in the AMR crisis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to faster, more effective personalized phage therapies for difficult Klebsiella infections.
How similar studies have gone: Early work has shown promise for phage therapy and capsule typing, but broadly scalable rapid typing and rational phage design remain under development.
Where this research is happening
-
J. David Gladstone Institutes
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Silas, Sukrit — J. David Gladstone Institutes
- Study coordinator: Silas, Sukrit
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.