Understanding how tuberculosis bacteria resist medicines
A systems analysis of drug tolerance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
This project aims to find new drug combinations that can quickly and completely get rid of tuberculosis bacteria, helping to prevent drug resistance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Institute for Systems Biology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11129781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Tuberculosis bacteria can change to resist medicines, making them hard to treat and increasing the risk of drug resistance. Our scientists are working to understand how these bacteria become tolerant to drugs, even before treatment starts. We are developing new tools to study how the bacteria behave in different environments, including inside host cells. The goal is to identify their weak spots and create smarter drug combinations that can overcome their defenses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with tuberculosis who are struggling with current treatments or are at risk of drug-resistant infections might benefit from future therapies developed from this research.
Not a fit: Patients without tuberculosis or those whose infections are easily cleared by existing treatments may not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to more effective and faster treatments for tuberculosis, reducing the chance of drug resistance.
How similar studies have performed: This project builds on previous successes in developing technologies to understand bacterial drug tolerance and rationally design drug combinations.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- Institute for Systems Biology — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baliga, Nitin S — Institute for Systems Biology
- Study coordinator: Baliga, Nitin S
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.