Phenotypic and molecular characterization of Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates

• Grant number: 25/00091-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Cristina Elisa Alvarez Martinez
• Grantee: Mayara Hikari Kishida
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 21/10577-0 - Biology of Bacteria and Bacteriophages Research Center, AP.CEPID

Abstract

Acinetobacter baumannii is a Gram-negative bacterium considered an emerging opportunistic pathogen of major concern in hospital settings, due to its extensive resistance to antibiotics and ability to cause severe infections, primarily affecting immunocompromised patients undergoing invasive procedures, catheter use, and antibiotic therapy. Furthermore, A. baumannii is characterized by a great genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity, making them of extreme interest for research. Several studies have focused on the dissemination of antibiotic resistance determinants among A. baumannii Brazilian isolates, whilst the characterization of genetic and phenotypic variability among isolates from clinical settings has been relatively less explored. The main goal of this project is to analyze the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of 23 clinical strains, evaluating various aspects of bacterial physiology, including biofilm formation capacity, degree of encapsulation, and competition with other bacteria. The results obtained from this study may reveal important aspects of the virulence and dissemination of these isolates to be explored at the molecular level in future studies.