Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 1P01AI197197-01
Scientific Core
Recipient
Washington University
Award Amount
$280,965.00
Ceiling
$280,965.00
Awarded
July 13, 2026
Identifier
1P01AI197197-01
Award for the Scientific Core of the Multi-Omics Unit to study antibiotic-resistant bacteria using genomics, metabolomics, and advanced sequencing techniques to understand infection dynamics and develop therapeutics.
Description
The Scientific Core (Core B) of the Multi-Omics Unit for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (MOCARB) aims to apply systems biology approaches to identify genomic and ecological contributors to infection outcomes for CDC-designated threats: Clostridioides difficile and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli. The core will generate high-quality sequencing data, including bacterial isolate genomics, transcriptomics, and metagenomics from stool and urine samples. It will also integrate metabolomics via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to characterize microbial and host metabolites influencing infection dynamics. Advanced single-cell microbial genomics will be developed to reconstruct genomes of pathogens and their phages, elucidating phage-bacterial interactions in disease progression. The project involves standardizing workflows for sample management, sequencing, data deposition, and genome assembly; profiling metabolites; and refining sequencing techniques like fluorescence-activated cell sorting and viral tagging. The multidisciplinary team brings extensive expertise in microbial genomics and metabolomics, ensuring rigorous data analysis and fostering collaboration to translate findings into clinical interventions.