Targeting Gram-Negative Bacteria for New Antibiotic Strategies
Official title: Targeting Gram-Negative Bacteria for Antibacterial Strategies
Funded at University of Notre Dame · NIH-11392250 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are exploring how the bacterial cell wall is built and recycled in order to find new ways to stop hard-to-treat Gram-negative infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Notre Dame NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Notre Dame, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $414,725 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM158092-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11392250 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Gram-negative bacterial infections, including those resistant to current antibiotics, could benefit from future therapies developed from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Immediate patient benefit is not guaranteed; translation to treatments will require further testing and development.
What this research studies
This project focuses on understanding how Gram-negative bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa recycle fragments of their cell wall and how this connects to new antibiotic discovery. Scientists have already cloned six related genes and purified the corresponding enzymes to study them in a test-tube system, where they can observe the flow of metabolites. They have created a fluorescence-based, high-throughput assay to screen potential inhibitors that could block these enzymes and halt cell-wall production. The work aims to identify novel targets for antibiotics that could overcome existing resistance mechanisms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new antibacterial agents that effectively treat resistant Gram-negative infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has identified enzyme targets in cell-wall synthesis and demonstrated feasible screening assays, with potential for new antibiotics, but definitive clinical benefits require further validation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mobashery, Shahriar — University of Notre Dame
- Study coordinator: Mobashery, Shahriar
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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.