# Staphylococcal Biofilm and Disease

> **NIH NIH P01** · UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER · 2021 · $2,345,530

## Abstract

During the previous funding cycle, our program project entitled “Staphylococcal biofilm and disease” has
employed in-depth mechanistic approaches to define the developmental and metabolic processes important in
Staphylococcus aureus biofilm development. A key aspect of the synergy of this project is that the knowledge
gained was used as context to provide a more detailed understanding of the acquisition of available nutrients
within specific host niches, as well as the impact of biofilm growth on the host immune response. These studies
have led to a greatly enhanced understanding of the way in which S. aureus adapts to a host environment,
providing new fundamental insight into biofilm development and novel approaches to the clinical management
of staphylococcal disease. The overall hypothesis driving the goals of the proposed program project, S. aureus
biofilm development creates unique metabolic niches that promote an immune suppressive
environment, is a natural outgrowth of the current funding cycle and is tested in four synergistic and
complementary projects that encompass a broad spectrum of synergistic and highly collaborative activities
ranging from the basic biology of biofilm development and matrix regulation, to the host-associated metabolic
processes that influence the immune response. To support the efforts of these four projects, we propose a
continuation of our Bioimaging Core that maintains a BioFlux microfluidics system for biofilm growth and
analysis, confocal microscopy, and an In Vivo Imaging System (IVIS). In addition, we propose a new
Metabolomics Core that will establish and maintain the protocols and modeling needed to support the four
projects associated with this PPG. Importantly, our vision is that the work of this core will lead to the development
of a web-based metabolomics tool (funded through a separate mechanism) that will serve not only as an
education tool to enhance the overall understanding of the S. aureus metabolome, but also as a hypothesis
generator in support of scientific inquiry. Once this tool is established and validated, we will then make it available
to the entire staphylococcal research community as a web-based resource that is integrated with our existing
Nebraska Transposon Mutant Library (NTML) website. Finally, we propose an Administrative Core that will
provide the administrative support needed to maximize the interactions between project leaders and to ensure
that their projects maintain optimal synergy.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10198693
- **Project number:** 5P01AI083211-13
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** KENNETH W. BAYLES
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,345,530
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2009-07-01 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10198693

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10198693, Staphylococcal Biofilm and Disease (5P01AI083211-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10198693. Licensed CC0.

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