Understanding how bacteria change shape inside hosts
Official title: Understanding the mechanisms of intracellular filamentation by bacteria
Funded at San Diego State University · NIH-11402807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist-led project will study how certain bacteria grow into filamentous shapes inside host organisms and why this helps them spread, using Bordetella atropi in C. elegans and related models.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | San Diego State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Diego, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $376,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM146836-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11402807 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with infections caused by bacteria that form filaments or rely on nutrient sensing to spread.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with infections not involving filamentation or the studied bacterial pathways may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project looks at why some bacteria elongate into filamentous forms inside host cells and how this affects their ability to move between cells. Researchers will use a model system with Bordetella atropi and host organisms like Caenorhabditis elegans to explore the genetic and nutrient-sensing pathways that drive filamentation. The work examines the glucolipid pathway and UDP-glucose role in delaying cell division, linking bacterial growth form to host environments. By studying these mechanisms, scientists aim to uncover how bacterial shape changes influence infection and spread.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding bacterial filamentation could lead to new ways to prevent or treat infections by disrupting strategies bacteria use to spread.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that nutrient-sensing pathways influence bacterial shape changes, with some success in model systems; this study extends to host-associated contexts.
Where this research is happening
-
San Diego State University
San Diego, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luallen, Robert J — San Diego State University
- Study coordinator: Luallen, Robert J
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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.