Using chemical ideas to understand how bacteria talk to each other
Official title: Utilizing chemical synthesis and chemical biology approaches to study bacterial quorum sensing
Funded at University of Nevada Reno · NIH-11258758 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Scientists are studying how bacteria communicate with chemical signals to control their behavior, with the goal of finding new ways to prevent infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Reno NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Reno, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2026 |
| Project end | March 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $447,736 |
| NIH project number | 1R35GM161286-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11258758 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research is at the basic science level; future applications may inform therapies, but there are no current patient enrollment plans.
✕Less likely to help
There are no immediate patient participation opportunities in this grant.
What this research studies
This project looks at quorum sensing, the chemical conversations bacteria use to coordinate actions like infection. Researchers will explore how signals bind to their receptors, aiming to map the key interactions that turn on group behaviors. The work combines chemistry and biology to identify targets that could disrupt harmful bacterial activities. If successful, these insights could lead to new approaches to reduce or prevent infections caused by bacteria.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could lead to new strategies to prevent or treat bacterial infections by blocking harmful bacterial communication.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that disrupting quorum sensing can attenuate bacterial virulence in some systems, supporting the potential of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Reno
Reno, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Talgan, Yiftah — University of Nevada Reno
- Study coordinator: Talgan, Yiftah
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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.