Celiac disease: why the gut gets damaged and how it heals
Official title: Tissue destruction and healing in Celiac Disease
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11159754 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at why some people with celiac disease still have gut damage and symptoms despite a gluten-free diet, to help patients who don't fully recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,394,224 |
| NIH project number | 5RC2DK133947-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11159754 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People diagnosed with celiac disease—children and adults—especially those with ongoing symptoms, nutrient deficiencies, or continued intestinal damage despite following a gluten-free diet.
✕Less likely to help
People without celiac disease or whose symptoms are caused by other conditions (for example, irritable bowel syndrome or non-celiac gluten sensitivity) are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project will collect small-intestine tissue and clinical data from children and adults with celiac disease to compare those who heal on a gluten-free diet with those who do not. Scientists will study immune cells driving tissue damage, measure nutrient and lipid levels, and analyze the small-intestinal mucosal microbiome. By linking immune, microbial, and metabolic information with biopsy findings, the team aims to explain why healing is inconsistent and why some patients develop complications like bone disease or persistent symptoms. The work combines lab analysis of biopsies with clinical follow-up to identify patterns that could guide future care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors identify why some patients don't heal and lead to better monitoring or new treatments to prevent complications.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked immune responses and the microbiome to celiac disease, but combining small-intestinal mucosal microbiota, immune profiling, and metabolic data to explain inconsistent healing is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jabri, Bana — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Jabri, Bana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how immune cells interact in celiac disease to guide healing
A study from the University of Chicago will follow people with celiac disease to understand how immune cells in the gut contribute to damage or healing when gluten is present or restricted.
-
NanoDiscs: a new way to calm the immune system in celiac disease
A new, protein-like particle called NanoDiscs is being developed to deliver safe targets to the immune system in people with celiac disease, with the goal of reducing reactions to gluten.
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Tissue damage and healing in Celiac Disease
A broad study at the University of Chicago is exploring why some people with celiac disease keep having symptoms and tissue damage even when they try to follow a gluten-free diet.
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Gluten-detection devices and telemedicine to help adults with celiac disease
This project looks at whether using portable gluten sensors and urine gluten tests together with telemedicine can help adults with celiac disease stick to a gluten-free diet and feel better.
-
Gluten-sensing tech to help manage celiac disease with telemedicine
A study tests new gluten-detection tools used with online care to help adults with celiac disease manage their condition.
-
Role of Transglutaminase 2 in Celiac Disease
A study from Stanford aims to understand how a specific enzyme, TG2, contributes to celiac disease and to test a potential gut-focused treatment that could one day help people avoid dietary controls.
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.