Bile acids and gut graft‑versus‑host disease
The role of bile acid metabolomics in graft-versus-host disease
Researchers will measure bile acids and related metabolites to find how they affect gut graft‑versus‑host disease in people who’ve had allogeneic stem cell transplants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Duarte, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310114 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project will analyze blood and stool samples from people who have had allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplants to map bile acid changes linked to gastrointestinal GVHD. The team will combine gut microbiome sequencing, immune cell testing, and metabolomics to see how bile acids, gut bacteria, and immune responses interact. They will also use animal models to test whether specific bile acid patterns can worsen or protect against GVHD. Results will be compared with prior multi-center patient data to look for biomarkers and potential treatment targets.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who have received or will receive an allogeneic hematopoietic cell (stem cell) transplant, especially those with or at risk for gastrointestinal GVHD.
Not a fit: Patients who have not had an allogeneic transplant or who only have non‑GI conditions are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to new biomarkers or therapies that reduce gut GVHD severity and improve recovery after transplant.
How similar studies have performed: Previous patient and animal studies from this group and others have linked gut microbiome changes to GVHD and survival, so this bile‑acid focused work builds on encouraging prior evidence though clinical interventions remain experimental.
Where this research is happening
Duarte, United States
- Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope — Duarte, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Van Den Brink, Marcel R M — Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope
- Study coordinator: Van Den Brink, Marcel R M
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.