# Subproject 1 Compounds and Strategies for Treating MRSA and VRE

> **NIH NIH P01** · MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY · 2020 · $467,649

## Abstract

ABSTRACT 
Invasive methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are responsible for significant morbidity 
and mortality worldwide. MRSA infections are particularly frightening since they are readily transmitted both in 
hospital settings and in the community, and they are typically resistant not only to beta lactams, but to other 
major classes of antibiotics as well. Clinical resistance has already been observed to several compounds 
introduced recently to treat MRSA. Moreover, there have been several well-documented cases involving mixed 
infections in which MRSA acquired genes conferring vancomycin resistance from VRE. This Harvard-wide 
Program Project on antibiotic resistance, led by Michael Gilmore, was established to foster collaborative 
research aimed at addressing the problem of antibiotic resistance in MRSA. It brings together scientists with 
expertise in relevant areas of infectious disease, animal models of infection, bacterial pathogenesis, bacterial 
physiology, the evolution of resistance, the discovery of novel antibiotics, and the exploration of new 
approaches to overcome antibiotic resistant infections. This subproject is focused on the discovery and 
exploration of novel compounds and strategies to combat MRSA. Three different approaches, each involving 
different compound classes and sets of targets, will be investigated. Aim 1 will evaluate a potent and promising 
new structural class of wall teichoic acid inhibitors as anti-MRSA agents. Aim II will address the potential of 
inhibitors of teichoic acid D-alanylation as anti-MRSA agents. Aim III will provide a comprehensive list of beta 
lactam potentiator targets that are shared among MRSA strains, and will explore a new strategy to identify 
targets of previously discovered beta lactam potentiators to enable further development.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9996466
- **Project number:** 5P01AI083214-13
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY
- **Principal Investigator:** Suzanne Walker
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $467,649
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2009-09-01 → 2022-02-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9996466

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9996466, Subproject 1 Compounds and Strategies for Treating MRSA and VRE (5P01AI083214-13). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9996466. Licensed CC0.

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