Targeting BACH1 to protect organs in sepsis
Official title: Bach1 as a molecular target in sepsis
Funded at Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center · NIH-11118663 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether lowering the protein BACH1 can help protect organs and improve survival in people with sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Augusta, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01BX006256-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11118663 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ultimately, adults hospitalized with severe sepsis or septic shock—including Veterans with polymicrobial sepsis—would be the likely candidates for therapies developed from this research.
✕Less likely to help
People without sepsis or those with mild, self-limited infections may not benefit from therapies targeting BACH1.
What this research studies
Researchers are focusing on a protein called BACH1 that controls stress responses in cells; in mouse sepsis models, removing BACH1 improved organ function and survival. They will use the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) mouse model and molecular lab studies to see if increased HO-1 or other genes explain the benefit. The team will also test whether temporarily blocking BACH1 can reproduce those protective effects. The long-term aim is to identify targets for drugs that could reduce organ damage and deaths from sepsis, including among Veterans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new treatments that reduce organ injury and deaths from sepsis.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies from the team showed that genetic deletion of BACH1 improved organ function and survival in mouse sepsis models, but human benefit has not yet been tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
Augusta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Raju, Raghavan Pillai — Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Raju, Raghavan Pillai
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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.