Bioelectric signals linking gut microbes and your body
Official title: Characterizing bioelectrical signaling between the gut microbiota and the host
Funded at Indiana University Indianapolis · NIH-11359602 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to understand how electrical signals from gut bacteria communicate with your body and influence health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $387,304 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM154890-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11359602 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with gut-related health concerns who might benefit from future microbiome-based therapies.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals with no gut-related symptoms may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore how bioelectrical signals from gut microbes interact with human cells at a molecular level using new tools and methods. The project aims to map how bacterial and host cells exchange electrical and chemical messages and how this affects normal physiology and disease. By studying these signals in the gut environment, the team hopes to uncover targets to modulate communication for better health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to influence gut health and overall health by tuning microbial electrical signaling.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary findings and related work suggest bioelectrical signaling is an important component of gut-host communication, with potential for meaningful advances.
Where this research is happening
-
Indiana University Indianapolis
Indianapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Needham, Brittany — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Needham, Brittany
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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.