Viruses that target bacteria to remove vancomycin‑resistant Enterococcus from the gut
Mechanistic basis of bacteriophages for the decolonization of vancomycin resistant enterococci in the intestine
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · NIH-11133061
This work uses bacteriophages—viruses that kill bacteria—to make vancomycin‑resistant Enterococcus in the intestine less able to survive and more sensitive to antibiotics for people carrying these bacteria.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11133061 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how Enterococcus bacteria change when they become resistant to bacteriophages and how those changes affect the bacteria's ability to live in the intestine. They will use Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium as models and examine mutations in bacterial surface components that may reduce colonization. The team will combine laboratory genetics, microbiology, and intestinal models to see which mechanisms cause colonization defects and increased antibiotic sensitivity. The aim is to identify phage‑based or phage‑plus‑antibiotic strategies that could be used to decolonize patients' guts of vancomycin‑resistant Enterococcus.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people colonized or infected with vancomycin‑resistant Enterococcus in their gut, particularly those with recurrent or difficult‑to‑treat infections.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have intestinal VRE colonization or who have infections located outside the gut are unlikely to benefit from this research directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide a new way to clear vancomycin‑resistant Enterococcus from patients' intestines and make antibiotics work better against these bacteria.
How similar studies have performed: Phage therapy has produced promising compassionate‑use and laboratory results, but leveraging phage‑driven fitness tradeoffs to decolonize VRE is an emerging, mostly preclinical approach.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER — Aurora, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: DUERKOP, BRECK A — UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- Study coordinator: DUERKOP, BRECK A
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.
Conditions: Bacterial Infections