Understanding urinary infections: how bacteria hijack iron at the bladder
Official title: Project-003
Funded at Columbia University Health Sciences · NIH-11579835 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study explored how bladder bacteria use iron and heme to cause infections, aiming to uncover new ways to prevent and treat urinary tract infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2014 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $299,999 |
| NIH project number | 5U54DK104309-13 |
| Project ID | NIH-11579835 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with urinary tract infections or those at high risk for UTIs, particularly involving bladder urothelium biology.
✕Less likely to help
People without UTIs or bladder involvement may not directly benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project looks at why urinary tract infections vary in how they present, investigating how bacteria colonize different sites in the urinary tract and how iron availability influences their behavior. The researchers are developing new gene-expression tools to study how urothelial cells respond to bacterial invasion, including heme iron handling and related pathways. By understanding these interactions, the study hopes to identify targets that could lead to better prevention and treatment of infections. The work is grounded in human-relevant biology centered on bladder function and infection responses.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to novel approaches to prevent and treat urinary tract infections by targeting how bacteria acquire iron at the bladder.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has begun to uncover links between bacterial iron acquisition and virulence, with some progress translating to new therapeutic ideas.
Where this research is happening
-
Columbia University Health Sciences
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mendelsohn, Cathy Lee — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Mendelsohn, Cathy Lee
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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.