# Reference strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus

> **NIH NIH R21** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $209,151

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
In cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, non-tuberculous
bacterium Mycobacteroides abscessus can cause chronic pulmonary disease that is often incurable and
associated with rapid lung function decline. Additionally, existing treatment requires more than a year of daily
intake of antibiotics with poor efficacies and significant toxicities. M. abscessus has been designated as an
“antibiotic nightmare” and “an environmental bacterium turned clinical nightmare” due to extensive natural
and acquired antibiotic resistance, which severely limits treatment options.
Although the NIH recently declared M. abscessus as an emerging pathogen of interest, it is one of the least
studied organisms. The overall aim of this proposal is to identify two clinical M. abscessus isolates that were
recently derived from cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and
are representative of the strains relevant in the present context so that they can be used as reference strains
in research. The historical M. abscessus strain that is currently used as the default reference strain was
isolated in 1953 from a knee abscess. Therefore, it is unknown how relevant the data obtained using this will
be to pulmonary infections and drug susceptibilities to strains prevalent today. Our central hypothesis is that
reference strain(s) should represent current clinical isolates. We postulate a relevant reference strain is
necessary for rigorous research so that the data obtained will be more applicable to M. abscessus infections
in cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10109770
- **Project number:** 1R21AI156302-01
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Gyanu Lamichhane
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $209,151
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10109770

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10109770, Reference strains of Mycobacteroides abscessus (1R21AI156302-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10109770. Licensed CC0.

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