Understanding how antibiotic resistance genes move in the human gut
Official title: Defining plasmid dynamics in the human gut microbiome
Funded at University of California Berkeley · NIH-11441990 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A funded project will develop new tools and mouse models to track how resistance genes spread between gut bacteria when people take antibiotics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project start | August 20, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $240,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AI202293-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11441990 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with conditions where antibiotic exposure is common, and individuals willing to provide gut-related samples or participate in studies using microbiome data.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy volunteers not at risk for infection or antibiotic exposure may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to map how plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance genes move among bacteria in the human gut. Researchers will build computational methods to analyze Hi-C data and visualize which plasmids are in which species over time, especially after antibiotic exposure. They will also use a humanized mouse model to study plasmid dynamics in a controlled gut environment. The goal is to see how different antibiotics influence plasmid transfer and copy numbers, with careful statistical comparisons at the plasmid and species level.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help doctors choose antibiotics that minimize resistance spread and guide strategies to preserve beneficial gut bacteria.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that antibiotic use can alter gut microbiome composition, but this project seeks to quantify plasmid transfer dynamics in detail.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Berkeley
Berkeley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolf, Ashley Robin — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Wolf, Ashley Robin
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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.