# Phage-inspired engineering and evolution

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES · 2023 · $383,143

## Abstract

Project Summary
Phages are viruses that infect bacteria, and are the most abundant type of organism on earth. In
addition, phages are a potential antibacterial therapy. The overall focus of the project is phage-
inspired engineering for antibacterial applications and fundamental evolutionary studies. The
first goal is to develop phage-based nanomaterials for technologies targeting bacteria. We have
previously engineered synthetic phages to deliver colloidal gold, which creates intense heat
when exposed to light. These targeted nanomaterials may be effective for treating bacterial
infections. However, engineering them to target a specific bacterial pathogen is an important
challenge that is addressed in this proposal. Second, phages are an excellent platform for
evolutionary studies, as peptides displayed on their surfaces can exhibit various functions.
Based on our previous experience with mapping fitness landscapes, we propose systematic
studies to map the complete fitness landscape of phage-displayed peptides and probe their
evolvability. Third, to improve efficacy and overcome problems with immunogenicity of phages,
we propose encapsulation in lipid nanoparticles as an alternative approach for carrying and
delivering colloidal gold to a target. Our approaches combine emerging synthetic technologies,
growing metagenomic databases, and advances in empirical studies of evolution.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10552294
- **Project number:** 1R35GM148249-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
- **Principal Investigator:** Irene Ann Chen
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $383,143
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10552294

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10552294, Phage-inspired engineering and evolution (1R35GM148249-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10552294. Licensed CC0.

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