Resistant gut bacteria and infections in people who are very sick or immunocompromised
Official title: Dynamics of Colonization and Infection by Multidrug-resistant Pathogens in Immunocompromised and Critically Ill Patients (DYNAMITE)
Funded at Methodist Hospital Research Institute · NIH-11159469 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program looks at how antibiotic‑resistant gut bacteria like VRE, ESBL/CRE, and C. difficile grow and cause infections in people who are critically ill or have weakened immune systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Methodist Hospital Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2020 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,377,848 |
| NIH project number | 5P01AI152999-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159469 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are hospitalized people who are immunocompromised or critically ill—such as ICU patients, transplant recipients, or cancer patients—or anyone recently treated with broad‑spectrum antibiotics and at high risk for gut colonization by VRE, ESBL/CRE, or C. difficile.
✕Less likely to help
People who are healthy, not hospitalized, or without gut colonization by these organisms are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this program.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will follow hospitalized, immunocompromised, or critically ill people and collect gut samples over time to see which resistant bacteria take hold. They will use microbiome profiling, bacterial genomics, and clinical data to track how colonization progresses and whether different pathogens influence one another. The team aims to identify patterns that predict which patients are most likely to develop infections and to test strategies that could prevent gut domination by dangerous organisms. Results are intended to inform better antibiotic choices, infection control, and targeted prevention for high‑risk patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help predict who will develop antibiotic‑resistant infections and lead to new ways to prevent or treat those infections.
How similar studies have gone: Prior microbiome and colonization studies have improved understanding but rarely produced clear clinical prevention tools, so this program is relatively novel in aiming to link colonization dynamics to actionable interventions.
Where this research is happening
-
Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Arias, Cesar Augusto — Methodist Hospital Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Arias, Cesar Augusto
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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.