Bubble-tea capsules with helpful microbes to block kidney toxins
Therapeutic bubble tea: Preventing the formation of uremic toxins with hydrogel immobilized microbes
An oral 'bubble tea' made of gel beads carrying beneficial microbes to lower gut-made toxins for people with end-stage kidney disease on dialysis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251200 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have kidney failure, this project would give an ingestible bubble-tea-like capsule containing microbes trapped in tiny hydrogel beads. The beads are designed to survive stomach acid, swell in the small intestine and colon, and let toxin precursors (like indole and p-cresol) enter where the microbes break them down. By stopping those precursors in the gut, they should not be converted in the liver into protein-bound uremic toxins that dialysis struggles to remove. The team will design the hydrogel beads, test them in lab models, and move toward safety and toxin-lowering tests in people.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be adults with end-stage kidney disease, especially those on or approaching dialysis who can swallow oral capsules and are willing to attend study visits.
Not a fit: People with normal kidney function, those unable to take oral agents, or some immunocompromised or severe gastrointestinal patients may not benefit or could be excluded.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower blood levels of protein-bound uremic toxins and help improve outcomes for people with end-stage kidney disease.
How similar studies have performed: Some microbiome and oral live-biotherapeutic approaches have shown promise at changing gut metabolites, but using hydrogel-encapsulated microbes specifically to prevent uremic toxin formation is a novel approach not yet widely tested in patients.
Where this research is happening
Seattle, United States
- University of Washington — Seattle, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Winkler, Mari-Karoliina — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Winkler, Mari-Karoliina
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.