Targeted antibiotics for multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections
Official title: Targeted development and selective delivery of small molecule antibiotics for the treatment of multidrug resistant infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens
Funded at University of North Carolina Asheville · NIH-11267541 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Developing new small-molecule antibiotics and delivery methods to help patients, including children and immunocompromised people, who have hard-to-treat Gram-negative infections like Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of North Carolina Asheville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Asheville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $504,305 |
| NIH project number | 2R15AI163474-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11267541 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with infections caused by multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Acinetobacter baumannii, including immunocompromised adults and children, would be the ultimate candidates for therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with non-bacterial illnesses or infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria or pathogens not targeted by these new compounds are unlikely to benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
From a patient perspective, this project focuses on designing new antibiotics that attack previously unused bacterial targets and on ways to get those drugs inside tough Gram-negative cells and biofilms. The researchers are making and testing small molecules in the lab against strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii and studying how the drugs interact with bacterial energy-producing enzymes. They are also exploring delivery strategies to overcome the outer membrane and biofilm barriers that block many current antibiotics. This work is preclinical and laboratory-based, aiming to produce candidates that could move toward animal studies and eventually clinical testing.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could yield new antibiotics that treat multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections and reduce deaths in vulnerable patients.
How similar studies have gone: Targeting bacterial energy-production and using selective delivery is a relatively novel approach with some promising laboratory results, but clinical success for similar strategies remains limited so far.
Where this research is happening
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University of North Carolina Asheville
Asheville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolfe, Amanda Lynn — University of North Carolina Asheville
- Study coordinator: Wolfe, Amanda Lynn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how bacteria stick to cells and creating treatments to stop them
This study is looking at how certain proteins help harmful bacteria stick to our bodies, especially in urinary infections, and aims to create new treatments that can stop this sticking, with the help of undergraduate students who will be hands-on in the research.
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Developing targeted antibiotics to fight resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections
This study is working on developing new antibiotics to help people who have tough infections caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which doesn't respond well to current treatments.
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.