Bioengineered probiotic to curb binge drinking
Official title: Development of a Bioengineered Probiotic Strain to Reduce Binge Drinking
Funded at University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt · NIH-11448028 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new probiotic therapy is being developed to produce a gut metabolite that helps reduce binge drinking in people by delivering it continuously in the gut.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Farmington, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $279,621 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AA032841-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11448028 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with alcohol use disorders or problematic binge drinking who are open to microbiome-based therapies in the future.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without AUD or those unwilling to consider microbiome interventions may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will engineer a probiotic strain to steadily produce valeric acid in the gut, aiming to lower binge drinking behavior. Researchers will create and test several VA-producing probiotic candidates in the lab and measure how much VA they generate. They will also add a cold-inducible kill switch to prevent unintended release and improve safety. The study will use a mouse model to explore whether these engineered probiotics can influence drinking behavior before considering human studies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a new, microbiome-based option to help reduce binge alcohol consumption.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work has shown that gut metabolites can influence alcohol intake, but this specific probiotic approach is novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
Farmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Yanjiao — University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Yanjiao
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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.