Understanding how bacteria adapt and survive in different environments
Official title: Gauging how the plasticity of cellular organizations dictates growth, death and adaptation in single bacterial cells
Funded at Carnegie-Mellon University · NIH-10911993 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how bacteria change their structure to survive in different environments, which is important for their growth and ability to cause infections, and it aims to find new ways to fight these infections by understanding how bacteria interact with their surroundings.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Carnegie-Mellon University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $351,964 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM151216-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10911993 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals suffering from bacterial infections, especially those caused by antibiotic-resistant strains.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with viral infections or non-infectious diseases may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how bacteria reorganize their cellular structures in response to various environments, which is essential for their survival, growth, and ability to cause infections. By studying model organisms like E. coli and human pathogens such as P. aeruginosa, the research aims to uncover the principles governing bacterial behavior and physiology. The approach involves examining the interactions of biomolecules within crowded cellular spaces to understand how these interactions influence bacterial fitness and resistance to antibiotics. The findings could lead to new strategies for combating bacterial infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could provide insights that lead to more effective treatments for bacterial infections, particularly those that are resistant to current antibiotics.
How similar studies have gone: Other research has shown success in understanding bacterial behavior and adaptation, indicating that this approach has potential for significant findings.
Where this research is happening
-
Carnegie-Mellon University
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Si, Fangwei — Carnegie-Mellon University
- Study coordinator: Si, Fangwei
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Digital biomarkers to guide personalized rehab after ACL injury
Aims to use wearable sensors and phone videos to predict early osteoarthritis risk after ACL surgery so rehabilitation can be tailored to each patient.
-
Understanding early lung scarring in 3-D tissue environments
A new NIH grant aims to map where and how early lung scarring starts in three-dimensional tissue, with the goal of guiding better treatments for people with fibrotic lung diseases.
-
Understanding how iron- and 2-oxoglutarate–dependent enzymes help make halogenated compounds
This NIH grant supports research to uncover how a family of iron enzymes adds chlorine or other halogen atoms to biological molecules, which could lead to new ways to make safer, more effective cancer-fighting drugs.
-
How the brain plans and sequences everyday actions
This project looks at how connected brain areas plan and carry out multi-step movements so findings can help people with movement problems like Parkinson's disease.
-
ALT Cancer Telomere SUMOylation: Targeting a Achilles’ heel in cancer cells
A bright, patient-friendly look at a research project aiming to disrupt a cancer-specific process at the ends of chromosomes to slow or stop tumor growth.
-
Role of the ventral visual pathway in everyday actions
This grant studies how brain regions that process what we see help people perform daily tasks like gripping a cup or using utensils, especially after brain injury.
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.