Age-related ketogenesis and liver–gut health in aging
Official title: The Impact of Age on Ketogenesis and the Liver-Gut Axis
Funded at Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research · NIH-11464639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aging adults may benefit from new insights into how the liver and gut communicate, and whether boosting ketone production can reduce inflammation and improve liver and gut function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $596,400 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AG092825-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11464639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are older adults and individuals with metabolic or gut-related health concerns who could participate in translational studies or biomarker analyses.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals without age-related metabolic or gut disorders may have limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
As people age, metabolic problems in the liver and gut become more common and can affect overall health. This project explores how signals between the liver and gut drive inflammation and how changes in ketone production influence this cross-talk. Scientists will study liver-specific and whole-body models to see how altering ketogenesis affects liver and gut outcomes in young versus old subjects. The goal is to identify mechanisms that might be targeted to improve metabolic health in aging populations.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new approaches to preserve liver and gut health during aging and reduce related inflammation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests modulating ketogenesis and liver–gut signaling can impact metabolism, but aging-specific mechanisms remain to be clarified.
Where this research is happening
-
Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Torok, Natalie J. — Palo Alto Veterans Instit for Research
- Study coordinator: Torok, Natalie J.
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.