Soil bacteria that can destroy powerful antibiotics (carbapenem enzymes)
Official title: Characterizing novel Beta-lactamases from metagenomic samples: insights into the evolution of antimicrobial resistance from the environment towards human-associated pathogens
Funded at Ubatec S.a. · NIH-11173763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for and describes enzymes in soil bacteria that can destroy powerful antibiotics so clinicians can get earlier warnings about emerging drug resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ubatec S.a. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina) |
| Project start | September 21, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $127,235 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI160371-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11173763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This project does not enroll patients; it analyzes environmental soil samples and performs laboratory experiments rather than treating or recruiting people.
✕Less likely to help
People with current antibiotic-resistant infections are unlikely to receive direct or immediate benefit from this research because it does not test treatments in patients.
What this research studies
Researchers will collect soil samples from Alaska and Antarctica and search them for genes that produce beta-lactamase enzymes capable of breaking down important antibiotics. They will use metagenomic sequencing to find those genes and then produce the enzymes in the lab to test their activity. The team will perform biochemical and structural analyses to understand exactly how the enzymes disable antibiotics and how similar they are to ones seen in human pathogens. From a patient's perspective, the work aims to spot new resistance mechanisms early so public health and clinicians can better prepare.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give clinicians and public-health teams early warning of new antibiotic-resistance enzymes before they appear in human infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous metagenomic surveys have found antibiotic-resistance genes in soils and helped map environmental reservoirs, though translating those findings into direct clinical prevention is still evolving.
Where this research is happening
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Ubatec S.a.
Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Power, Pablo — Ubatec S.a.
- Study coordinator: Power, Pablo
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.