Using antibodies to prevent and treat urinary tract infections
Official title: Harnessing Antibody Responses to Prevent and Treat Urinary Tract Infections
Funded at Washington University · NIH-10975366 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is working on a new vaccine that could help women who often get urinary tract infections by teaching their bodies to fight off the bacteria that cause these infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | November 10, 2021 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $622,331 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI165915-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10975366 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are women who experience recurrent urinary tract infections, particularly those who have had multiple episodes in a year.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not suffer from urinary tract infections or have never experienced recurrent UTIs may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing a vaccine that targets a specific protein called FimH, which is crucial for the bacteria causing urinary tract infections (UTIs) to attach to the bladder. By stimulating the body's immune response to produce antibodies against FimH, the goal is to prevent the bacteria from colonizing the bladder and causing infections. The study involves testing this approach in animal models and aims to translate these findings into a potential vaccine for women who suffer from recurrent UTIs. If successful, this could provide a new way to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in UTI treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to a vaccine that significantly reduces the incidence of urinary tract infections in women.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using FimH-targeted immunization in animal models, indicating potential for success in human applications.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kau, Andrew Leon — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Kau, Andrew Leon
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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New ways to stop urinary tract infections by blocking bacterial adhesion
A study to test new methods that prevent bacteria from sticking to urinary tract tissues and devices, potentially stopping infections before they start.
-
Hybridization capture sequencing to quickly identify canine urinary pathogens and resistance genes
A new sequencing approach directly from dog urine aims to rapidly identify bacteria causing urinary infections and their drug-resistance profiles to guide treatment.
-
Enterococcal Proteases and CAUTI: How the body’s environment activates bacteria to cause infections
A small grant is exploring how two enzymes from Enterococcus faecalis interact with the urine environment to drive catheter-associated urinary tract infections and why these infections are hard to treat.
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Daily nitrofurantoin with or without bladder cauterization to prevent recurrent bladder infections in women
This study tests two approaches to prevent recurrent bladder infections in women: taking a low-dose antibiotic every day versus adding a bladder cauterization procedure plus the same daily antibiotic.
-
New bacterial pathway that helps cause bladder infections
Researchers are exploring how bacteria steal nutrients in the bladder and how the body fights them to help people with urinary tract infections.
-
New oral antifungal for tough Candida UTIs
A Johns Hopkins team is testing a new oral antifungal medicine called fungerps to treat urinary tract infections caused by azole-resistant Candida fungi.
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.