Understanding How Body Proteins Fight Urinary Tract Infections
Bioinorganic Explorations of Host-defense Proteins
This work helps us understand how a natural protein in our bodies, called calprotectin, fights off bacteria that cause urinary tract infections by limiting their access to essential metals.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171397 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies have natural defenses, like the protein calprotectin, that help protect us from infections. This protein works by holding onto important metals that bacteria need to grow, essentially starving them. We are learning how calprotectin changes its form and how these changes affect its ability to fight off common bacteria, like those causing urinary tract infections. By understanding these processes, we hope to find new ways to boost our body's natural defenses against infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research is relevant to anyone susceptible to bacterial infections, particularly urinary tract infections, as it aims to understand basic immune mechanisms.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical interventions would not directly benefit from this basic science research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for preventing or treating urinary tract infections by enhancing the body's own immune response.
How similar studies have performed: Recent studies by this laboratory and others have provided compelling evidence for the role of calprotectin in the immune response, indicating this work builds on existing knowledge.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nolan, Elizabeth M — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Nolan, Elizabeth M
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.