Grant: Foundation Grant

Bacteria have the ability to either harm or help us. Harm comes from pathogenic bacteria that can cause infections. Help comes from beneficial bacteria, such as those that live in the human gut, that help to digest food and prevent infection. To eliminate harmful bacteria and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria, we must first study the underlying chemistry and biology that controls their growth and function. The proposed research program will study bacterial chemistry and biology in two ways: 1) we are developing new antibiotics against bacteria that cause infections; and 2) we are studying the biochemical pathways that enable beneficial bacteria to survive in the human gut. A brief summary of both components is provided below. The first part of the proposed research program aims to develop antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. Antibiotics are chemicals that specifically kill bacteria. Since the discovery of antibiotics, these chemicals have become essential medicines to prevent and cure infections. A key challenge for using antibiotics, however, is the emergence of drug-resistance, where bacteria acquire the ability to survive despite the presence of the antibiotic. We are developing new antibiotics to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The second part of the proposed research program aims to understand how certain bacteria survive in the human gut. Babies are born with a sterile gut, and gradually acquire a complex community of bacteria through interaction with the environment. These gut bacteria help digest food and prevent infections by pathogenic bacteria. Many diseases are caused by 'microbial imbalance,' where the composition of bacteria and other microorganisms in the gut deviates from normal. We will investigate how the underlying chemistry and biology enable certain bacterial species to survive in the human gut. This knowledge could ultimately enable the development of probiotic and nutritional supplements to prevent and treat disease.