Federal Grant Award Summary

Vanderbilt University Medical Center received a $481,250 Project Grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.855) to develop novel therapeutic approaches for treating Helicobacter pylori infection. The research focuses on evaluating reverse transsulfuration pathway (RTP) inhibitors—specifically aminooxyacetic acid (AOAA) and propargylglycine (PAG)—as potential antimicrobial agents. The project will deliver scientific evidence regarding the efficacy of these compounds against H. pylori, including antibiotic-resistant strains, through laboratory testing and animal model studies. Deliverables include metabolomic analysis data, in vitro growth inhibition assessments, and in vivo gastric colonization and gastritis inhibition studies in H. pylori-infected mice.

The two-year award period runs from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2028, and will be conducted at Vanderbilt University Medical Center's facility in Forest Hills, Tennessee. The research addresses a significant global health burden, as approximately half the world's population harbors H. pylori, which causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. By identifying RTP as a rational therapeutic target and validating commercially available RTP inhibitors, this project aims to provide an alternative treatment strategy to combat the growing clinical problem of antibiotic-resistant H. pylori strains and enhance existing antibiotic-based treatment regimens.