Using palmitoleic acid to enhance the effectiveness of antibiotics
Official title: Application of palmitoleic acid to potentiate antibiotic efficacy
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11093935 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at whether adding palmitoleic acid, a natural fatty acid, can help the antibiotic vancomycin work better for people with tough skin infections caused by resistant bacteria, making it easier to treat these stubborn infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $194,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI180407-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11093935 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients suffering from complicated skin and skin structure infections, particularly those caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with infections that are not caused by Staphylococcus aureus or Enterococcus faecalis may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid found in human serum, can improve the effectiveness of vancomycin, an antibiotic used to treat complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSIs) caused by bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis. The study aims to address the growing problem of antibiotic resistance and treatment failures by exploring how palmitoleic acid can sensitize antibiotic-resistant bacteria and persister cells, which are often difficult to eradicate. By combining palmitoleic acid with vancomycin, the research seeks to enhance bacterial cell death and improve treatment outcomes for patients suffering from chronic infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective treatments for patients with difficult-to-treat bacterial infections.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using fatty acids to enhance antibiotic efficacy, suggesting that this approach may be viable.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rowe, Sarah Elizabeth — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Rowe, Sarah Elizabeth
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.