antibiotic resistance

February 1, 2024

Romney Humphries receives John V. Bergen Excellence Award

Vanderbilt’s Romney Humphries, PhD, has received the 2024 John V. Bergen Excellence Award from the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.

By Leigh MacMillan
April 24, 2023

Novel drugs have potential for treating tuberculosis

Drug-resistant tuberculosis is on the rise, and novel antibacterial drugs called SPTs have potential for treating the deadly lung infection.

By Leigh MacMillan
June 2, 2022

Bacterial battle in 3D

Using imaging mass spectrometry and microscopy, Vanderbilt researchers visualized how staph bacteria modifies lipids in its membrane to evade immune system-mediated killing.

By Bill Snyder
September 17, 2020

Probing pathogen antibiotic resistance

Understanding how bacteria evolve resistance to antibiotics and host stresses could guide the development of more effective antimicrobial therapeutics.

By Leigh MacMillan
May 14, 2020

The adaptable anthrax bacterium

Vanderbilt researchers discover how anthrax bacterium defends itself against structural damage and resists the toxicity of the antimicrobial drug targocil.

By Leigh MacMillan
January 13, 2020

Zinc uptake by a deadly pathogen

The increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacterium Acinetobacter baumannii requires zinc to cause infection, and Vanderbilt researchers have identified the zinc uptake system it uses.

By Leigh MacMillan
October 17, 2019

Effort to remove penicillin allergy labels seeing success

A program in the Medical Intensive Care Unit has successfully removed penicillin allergy labels from more than 45 inpatients at high risk to receive antibiotics, but whose penicillin allergies were low risk.
By Nancy Humphrey
April 25, 2019

A new antibiotic’s mechanism of action

Vanderbilt investigators have characterized how a new first-in-class antibacterial drug works, which will guide the development of additional compounds that overcome antibacterial resistance.
By Leigh MacMillan
April 11, 2019

How bugs overcome host defenses

Vanderbilt researchers led by Eric Skaar are probing the mechanisms bacteria use when faced with nutrient starvation — a host defense strategy called “nutritional immunity.”
By Leigh MacMillan
June 28, 2018

New staph virulence factor

Jun. 28, 2018—The new factor, an enzyme involved in host-pathogen interactions, may be a viable target for treating staph infections.
By Leigh MacMillan
June 13, 2018

Novel infection fighter

A drug in use clinically to help make vaccines more effective may be a powerful new tool for fighting antibiotic-resistant infections.
By Meredith Jackson
February 3, 2017

Bacterial signaling systems

Vanderbilt researchers have identified a unique example of communication between bacterial signaling systems, which may have relevance for antibiotic resistance.
By Leigh MacMillan
July 14, 2016

Membrane fats impact drug transporter

New studies of a membrane transporter could explain antibiotic resistance – and lead to novel ways to combat it.
By Bill Snyder