Accelerating microbiota recovery to protect against C. difficile
Official title: Accelerating microbiota recovery to protect against Clostridioides difficile
Funded at University of California at Davis · NIH-11398249 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A short-term NIH grant to test ways to speed up gut microbiome recovery after antibiotics to prevent dangerous C. difficile infections in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California at Davis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Davis, United States) |
| Project start | August 21, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $201,250 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI193739-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398249 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older who are receiving or recently finished antibiotic therapy and are at risk for C. difficile infection.
✕Less likely to help
People not at risk for C. difficile or those unable to take the studied probiotic or pharmacologic intervention may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on adults who have recently taken antibiotics and are at risk for C. difficile infection. It will test whether a second-generation probiotic (Anaerostipes caccae) can help the gut microbiome recover faster and restore resistance to C. difficile. It will also explore if activating a specific gut cell pathway (PPAR gamma) pharmacologically can speed recovery of the microbiome and protect against infection. The goal is to identify practical strategies to reduce hospitalizations and severe diarrhea from C. difficile by strengthening the natural defenses of the gut.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent C. difficile infections after antibiotic use by promoting faster microbiome recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that restoring a healthy microbiome can reduce C. difficile risk, but this specific probiotic approach and PPAR gamma activation are exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California at Davis
Davis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Jee-Yon — University of California at Davis
- Study coordinator: Lee, Jee-Yon
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.