Aflatoxin exposure, child growth, and gut bacteria in rural Guatemala
Aflatoxin Exposure, Growth Faltering, and the Gut Microbiome among Children in Rural Guatemala
['FUNDING_R01'] · ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS · NIH-11248371
We are following young children in rural Guatemala to learn whether exposure to aflatoxin from maize affects their growth and gut bacteria over time.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SCOTTSDALE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11248371 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
If your child joins, we will follow them from about 6–9 months until about 24–27 months to track growth. We will collect small blood samples to measure aflatoxin-albumin adducts and inflammation markers and collect stool samples to study gut bacteria. The study will record seasonal diet and maize storage/preparation practices that influence aflatoxin exposure. In parallel, lab-based bioreactors will test how aflatoxin directly changes gut microbes to help explain any links to growth.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are young children in rural Guatemalan communities, roughly 6–9 months old at enrollment, who eat maize as a staple and can attend follow-up visits through 24–27 months.
Not a fit: Children outside the enrolled age window, people not exposed to maize-based diets, or those living outside the study region are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could clarify a preventable environmental cause of stunting and point to interventions to protect child growth in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Previous observational studies have linked aflatoxin to poor growth but were mostly cross-sectional, while this prospective cohort plus mechanistic lab work is less common and partly novel.
Where this research is happening
SCOTTSDALE, UNITED STATES
- ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS — SCOTTSDALE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: KRAJMALNIK-BROWN, ROSA — ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY-TEMPE CAMPUS
- Study coordinator: KRAJMALNIK-BROWN, ROSA
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 below.