This grant award to the J. Craig Venter Institute, Inc. is for a research project focused on understanding the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and virulence in certain bacteria that have been identified in the water system of the International Space Station. The $137,075.84 award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration will support genomic sequencing and transposon sequencing studies to assess the potential for increased virulence and antibiotic resistance in Burkholderia and Ralstonia bacterial species found in the ISS potable water. The goal is to identify genes and pathways that contribute to the ability of these bacteria to persist in water and potentially cause disease in immunocompromised astronauts. This research aims to inform mitigation strategies, such as improved water treatment or antibiotic adjuvant therapies, to address these bacterial threats in the space environment.
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