Understanding How Bacteria Build Their Protective Outer Layer
Cell Surface Polymer Display in Gram-Positive Bacteria
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · NIH-11138760
This work explores how certain bacteria, including those causing diphtheria, create their outer surfaces, which helps them cause infections.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11138760 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
We are looking closely at how Gram-positive bacteria, which are surrounded by a thick cell wall, attach important molecules to their surface. These molecules act like sticky 'pili' that help bacteria cling to surfaces and 'glycopolymers' that are crucial for their survival and ability to cause disease. Our goal is to understand the tiny building blocks and processes these bacteria use to construct these outer layers. By learning how these structures are made, we hope to find new ways to stop infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage, but future clinical applications would target individuals with bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-positive bacteria like Corynebacterium diphtheriae.
Not a fit: Patients without bacterial infections or those with infections caused by bacteria that do not use these specific surface structures would not directly benefit from this particular line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for developing antibiotic drugs that specifically target the infection-causing mechanisms of bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: While the specific atomic-level structures and mechanisms being explored are novel, other basic science studies have successfully identified bacterial virulence factors that later became targets for new therapies.
Where this research is happening
LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES — LOS ANGELES, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: CLUBB, ROBERT THOMPSON — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- Study coordinator: CLUBB, ROBERT THOMPSON
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.
Conditions: Bacterial Infections