Award
National Institute of General Medical Sciences 5R35GM156332-02
Decoding cell surface chemistry and function in Staphylococcus aureus
Recipient
Stanford University
Award Amount
$385,000.00
Ceiling
$385,000.00
Awarded
July 28, 2026
Identifier
5R35GM156332-02
The project aims to understand the cell-surface chemistry of Staphylococcus aureus, including modifications in cell walls and teichoic acids, and how these relate to virulence and antibiotic resistance. The research integrates multiple scientific techniques to generate strategies to combat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Description
This MIRA program deploys an unconventional and uniquely enabling cross-disciplinary experimental platform to decode the underlying cell-surface chemistry in Staphylococcus aureus that distinguishes friend from foe and underlies biofilm formation and sensitivity to antibiotics to ultimately drive the development of urgently needed new anti-infective strategies. This program will yield fundamental and translationally relevant discoveries and introduce broadly applicable strategies as many important cell-surface functions are achieved by polysaccharides, glycoconjugates, and heterogeneous, insoluble assemblies.