Understanding how oxygen stress affects bacteria and what keeps them alive
Official title: The Physiology of Oxidative Stress in Bacteria
Funded at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign · NIH-11333223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant supports research on how bacteria handle oxidative stress from oxygen and what protects their DNA and enzymes, which could lead to new ways to fight bacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Champaign, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2025 |
| Project end | June 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $761,271 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM158067-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Not applicable to patients directly; the work focuses on basic bacterial biology.
✕Less likely to help
No direct patient benefit from participation is expected at this basic-science stage.
What this research studies
The research looks at how ancient microbial biochemistry copes with oxygen in today’s environments. Scientists study how reactive oxygen species form and how bacteria defend themselves with enzymes and DNA repair systems. The project compares different bacteria to see why some are more sensitive to oxygen than others. Findings could reveal new targets for antibiotics and strategies to combat resistant bacteria.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of bacterial defenses against oxygen could inform new antibiotic approaches and improve treatments for bacterial infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that ROS production and bacterial defenses vary by species, validating continued study of these mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Champaign, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Imlay, James a. — University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Study coordinator: Imlay, James a.
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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.