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University of Arizona researcher using $1.9 million grant to study copper's impact on bacteria

Microbiologist Michael D. L. Johnson working at University of Arizona lab in Tucson.
University of Arizona
Microbiologist Michael D. L. Johnson working at University of Arizona lab in Tucson.

A microbiologist at the University of Arizona is using a nearly $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to continue researching how copper can kill harmful bacteria.

Michael D. L. Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor of immunobiology, said like the human body, copper is essential in the human diet but can be toxic to bacteria. His work focuses on how the body uses copper as a way to kill pathogens.

“We’re trying to make that process better,” Johnson said. “How can we learn more about how our bodies use copper against bacteria so that we can make better treatments, so that we can make sure that those bacteria don't do us harm as much.”

He said the research will focus on three questions relating to copper and bacteria, “How do they fight off copper stress? How is copper toxic in the first place? And then, can we weaponize copper as a therapeutic to try and kill some of these more antibiotic resistant bacterial infections?”

Michael D. L. Johnson, PhD, an associate professor of immunobiology at University of Arizona received a $1.9 million grant from National Institutes of Health.
University of Arizona
Michael D. L. Johnson, Ph.D., an associate professor of immunobiology at University of Arizona received a $1.9 million grant from National Institutes of Health.

This is the second grant Johnson has received from the National Institutes of Health to study copper’s impact on bacteria. UA said the R35 grant is “reserved for scientists with outstanding research records and the potential to make major contributions to their fields.”

With the new grant, Johnson will build on his previous work into how Streptococcus pneumoniae reacts to copper. His goal is to determine exactly what makes copper toxic to S. pneumoniae and use the information to draw conclusions about similar bacteria. Ultimately, he hopes a potential new use could lead to a next-generation antibiotic.

“Whenever a researcher gets a grant from a federal institution, it is the taxpayer dollars that help pay for that research,” Johnson said. “So, we're doing this research to help the American people, and it's their tax dollars that are going toward paying for this. So, hopefully, we can do you proud by coming up with some great results.”

As a senior field correspondent, Christina Estes focuses on stories that impact our economy, your wallet and public policy.