Understanding a potential TB drug target in the bacteria that cause tuberculosis
Official title: Characterizing the requirement of the mycobacterial BrkB ortholog in TB pathogenesis
Funded at Lake Forest College · NIH-11404832 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist team is studying a bacterial protein called BrkB to see if it could be a new target for drugs to treat tuberculosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Lake Forest College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lake Forest, United States) |
| Project start | September 4, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $109,160 |
| NIH project number | 5R16AI184352-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404832 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with tuberculosis or those at risk of TB could benefit from future drugs targeting BrkB.
✕Less likely to help
This project is early-stage and does not involve treating patients directly at this time.
What this research studies
Tuberculosis treatment currently takes a long time and resistance is rising, so this project looks at a bacterial protein (BrkB) that may be essential for TB bacteria to grow. The researchers will figure out what BrkB channels pass through and how it interacts with other proteins, then explore why BrkB is needed for extracellular growth, which is linked to later-stage TB transmission. They will also study BrkB behavior under conditions that mimic late-stage infection. The work combines biochemical tests, collaboration with a second lab, and studies using a purified BrkB protein.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify a new drug target that helps shorten TB treatment and reduce transmission.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data in model organisms suggest BrkB impacts bacterial virulence, supporting potential for future translation.
Where this research is happening
-
Lake Forest College
Lake Forest, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Conrad, William Henry — Lake Forest College
- Study coordinator: Conrad, William Henry
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.