Understanding how electric signals affect biofilm growth and antibiotic resistance
Official title: The electrophysiology of biofilm development and drug resistance
Funded at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital · NIH-11400508 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how electrical signals inside bacterial biofilms influence their growth and resistance to antibiotics so new, smarter treatments can help treat infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Memphis, United States) |
| Project start | July 6, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R00AI175656-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400508 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with biofilm-related infections, including those caused by resistant bacteria, could potentially benefit from improved treatments.
✕Less likely to help
If a patient does not have a biofilm-associated infection, this grant may be less directly beneficial.
What this research studies
This project explores how calcium signals and electrical activity impact biofilm formation and maturation, and it develops a high-throughput test to find adjuvant antibiotics that can better kill biofilms. The work combines lab experiments with machine learning to predict which treatments work best against stubborn, slow-growing bacteria in biofilms. It will also study mature biofilms to see how electrophysiology relates to antibiotic tolerance across the biofilm lifecycle. The goal is to create tools and models that help identify effective combinations to overcome biofilm resistance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more effective antibiotic strategies against stubborn biofilm infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows electrophysiology influences antibiotic responses in some biofilm systems, but this project aims to extend that knowledge to high-throughput screening and predictive modeling.
Where this research is happening
-
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meyer, Christian T — St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Study coordinator: Meyer, Christian T
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.