Turbinmicin - a new antifungal from marine bacteria for drug-resistant fungal infections
Symbiotic-based discovery of turbinmicin, a safe and selective antifungal against resistant fungi
Developing improved turbinmicin medicines, made from marine bacteria, to treat dangerous drug-resistant fungal infections in people with weakened immune systems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11286635 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers are turning a natural compound called turbinmicin, found in bacteria that live with marine animals, into a medicine for drug-resistant fungal infections. In the lab they are making and testing turbinmicin analogs to improve solubility, safety, and how the drug can be formulated. They will test these versions in cell-based and animal models to measure effectiveness against resistant fungi and check for toxicity. The team is also working on methods to produce and formulate the drug so it can move toward human testing.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with serious infections caused by drug-resistant fungi—especially immunocompromised patients or those with Candida auris—would be the likely candidates for future clinical trials.
Not a fit: People without fungal infections, those with common fungal infections that respond to current antifungals, or individuals who cannot take systemic antifungal drugs would not expect direct benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce a safe, broadly effective treatment for infections caused by pan-drug resistant fungi such as Candida auris.
How similar studies have performed: Natural products have yielded several successful anti-infective drugs and early preclinical work shows turbinmicin is active in lab and animal models, but it has not yet been tested in people.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Andes, David R — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Andes, David R
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 below.