Virus-based sensors to quickly detect harmful bacteria and antibiotic resistance
Bioengineering Phage-based Biosensors with Genetic Specificity and High Sensitivity
The team is building harmless virus sensors that can quickly find harmful bacteria and flag antibiotic-resistance genes for people with suspected bacterial infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cornell University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ithaca, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10881970 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers are using harmless bacteriophages (viruses that infect only bacteria) and reprogramming them to produce a clear signal when they infect specific bacterial targets. They will tweak the phages to make strong reporter proteins that are released when the infected bacteria break open, creating an easy-to-measure readout. The project focuses on making the sensors both more specific to particular bacterial strains and more sensitive so small amounts of bacteria or resistance genes can be detected. The goal is a fast, low-cost test that could be used on patient samples like blood, urine, or wound swabs.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with suspected bacterial infections who can provide clinical samples (blood, urine, sputum, or wound swabs) would be the ideal candidates for future testing.
Not a fit: Patients with viral illnesses or health problems unrelated to bacterial infection or antibiotic resistance are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could give doctors fast, low-cost tests to identify the exact bacteria and antibiotic-resistance genes so patients get the right antibiotics sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory studies have shown phage-based sensors can detect bacteria, but they often lacked the sensitivity and genetic-level specificity this project aims to improve.
Where this research is happening
Ithaca, United States
- Cornell University — Ithaca, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nugen, Sam R — Cornell University
- Study coordinator: Nugen, Sam R
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.