Project description
Targeting bacterial persisters to combat antimicrobial resistance
Bacteria live in communities and employ various strategies to ensure viability. A bacterial subpopulation called persisters can withstand temporary stresses such as antibiotics, nutrient depletion, or acidic environments. Clinical evidence indicates that persisters can regrow once antibiotic treatment stops, driving chronic and relapsing infections while accelerating the evolution of resistance. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MabADAPT project aims to uncover the biological mechanisms behind persister formation and their role in host-pathogen interactions. Researchers will study Mycobacterium abscessus as a clinically relevant model, following a multidisciplinary approach. Project findings could lead to novel strategies against antimicrobial resistance.
Objective
The rapid spread of bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a major global health threat, leading to treatment failures. Beyond resistance, bacteria employ also other strategies to counteract antibiotics. Persisters represent a bacterial subpopulation that can survive transient exposure to different stresses, such as nutrient depletion, low pH or the presence of antibiotics. Increasing evidence suggests clinical importance of persister formation, since their ability to regrow after termination of antibiotic treatment is a cause for prolonged and relapsing course of many bacterial infections. Formation of persisters also accelerates the emergence of antibiotic resistance, worsening the problem of bacterial AMR. Recent research indicates that mechanisms involved in persister formation may also enhance the overall adaptability of bacteria to antibiotics and stresses imposed by host immune system. Targeting these dual mechanisms could represent a unique two-pronged strategy to improve treatment efficiency, preventing resistance development and decreasing bacterial survival within the host. However, our understanding of these mechanisms is very limited. Combining microbiology, molecular biology and infection models, together with cutting-edge techniques such as metabolomics and transcriptomics, I propose to identify key biological adaptations underlying the formation of bacterial persisters and to explore their impact on host-pathogen interactions and infection outcomes. As an emerging pathogen known for its high antibiotic resistance and ability to endure harsh conditions during infection, I selected Mycobacterium abscessus (Mabs) as a clinically relevant model for this study. Discovery of such adaptations can lead to the development of innovative treatments tackling not only Mabs infections, but also the broader challenge of AMR.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75794 Paris
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.