Tuesday, July 1, 2025 7/1/2025

Intra- and Inter- Species Communication in Bacteria

Award Number: R37GM065859
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/01/2020
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Intra- and Inter- Species Communication in Bacteria - Quorum sensing is a bacterial communication process that relies on the production, detection, and group- wide response to extracellular signaling molecules called autoinducers. Quorum sensing enables groups of bacteria to synchronously alter behavior in response to changes in population density and species composition of the vicinal community. In Aim 1, an investigation of phage-bacteria-eukaryote quorum-sensing-mediated interactions will be undertaken. The proposed research seeks to explore newly-discovered inter-kingdom quorum- sensing-mediated communication pathways that shape host-microbe-phage interactions. Mutagenesis, bioassays, small molecule purification, and crystallography will be used to define the mechanisms by which phages, in response to host quorum-sensing information, launch their lytic programs. The native cue that is released from lysed bacterial cells that appears to be the key input that activates the phage quorum-sensing eavesdropping program will be purified. More complex mechanisms that underlie phage infections of the human microbiome, how affected bacteria avoid phage infection, how phage infection of microbiome bacteria affects health-promoting and harmful gut microbes will be investigated. The team will use what is learned to guide the development of phage therapies to combat human diseases. In Aim 2, the team will image the bacterial biofilm dispersal process and discover the key components. Quorum sensing controls the development of surface-associated communities called biofilms, a predominant form of bacterial life on Earth. Biofilms are notorious for causing infections and damage to surfaces. Unlike biofilm formation, almost nothing is known about the second half of the biofilm lifestyle, biofilm dispersal. The team will develop a new imaging system with light sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) that will enable imaging of the biofilm dispersal process. By imaging, at single-cell resolution, bacteria exiting biofilms the team will discover when dispersal occurs, if cells leave individually or collectively, and whether or not the process is globally synchronized. Using fluorescent reporters to quorum-sensing- controlled genes, quorum-sensing activity during dispersal will be monitored. The unique and combined contributions of the different autoinducers in driving/suppressing biofilm dispersal will be studied. This aim will provide leads for manipulating dispersal, a key step in bacterial lifecycles including those of global pathogens.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $307,278 )
2025	2025	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	22	11/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$307,278
														Subtotal = $307,278

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $341,420 )
2024	2024	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	21	6/19/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,142
2024	2024	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	21	11/3/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$307,278
														Subtotal = $341,420

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $341,420 )
2023	2023	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	20	11/10/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$307,278
2023	2023	THE TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	20	2/10/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,142
														Subtotal = $341,420

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $341,420 )
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	19	7/21/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$34,142
2022	2022	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	19	11/18/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$307,278
														Subtotal = $341,420

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $341,420 )
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	18	11/19/2020	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$341,420
2021	2021	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	002	18	7/11/2021	EXTENSION WITH OR WITHOUT FUNDS	$34,871
2021	2020	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	17	7/11/2021	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$34,871
														Subtotal = $341,420

Issue Date FY: 2020 ( Subtotal = $334,555 )
2020	2020	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	17	11/26/2019	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$301,099
2020	2020	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	17	3/13/2020	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,456
														Subtotal = $334,555

Issue Date FY: 2019 ( Subtotal = $334,555 )
2019	2019	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	16	11/9/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$334,555
														Subtotal = $334,555

Issue Date FY: 2018 ( Subtotal = $334,555 )
2018	2018	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	15	5/23/2018	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,456
2018	2018	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	15	11/15/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$301,099
														Subtotal = $334,555

Issue Date FY: 2017 ( Subtotal = $334,555 )
2017	2017	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	14	11/30/2016	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$301,099
2017	2017	TRUSTEES OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY, THE	1 NASSAU HALL	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	14	8/8/2017	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$33,456
														Subtotal = $334,555

Issue Date FY: 2016 ( Subtotal = $334,555 )
2016	2016	PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	POST OFFICE BOX 5292	PRINCETON	NJ	08544	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	000	13	2/9/2016	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$334,555
2016	2016	PRINCETON UNIVERSITY	POST OFFICE BOX 5292	PRINCETON	NJ	085445292	MERCER	USA	Biomedical Research and Research Training	001	13	7/19/2016	COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
														Subtotal = $334,555

Grand Total All Awards = $3,345,733

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Intra- and Inter- Species Communication in Bacteria

Award Number: R37GM065859

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 12/01/2020

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer