Controlling how gut bacteria break down complex sugars
Gatekeeping glycan metabolism in the human gut microbiome
Researchers are mapping how gut bacteria eat complex sugars to open new ways to shift the gut microbiome for people with colon cancer and other diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11159856 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If I take part, researchers will study the enzymes and transport systems gut bacteria use to break down dietary and mucus-derived sugars. They will combine bacterial genetics and biochemical experiments with samples from the human gut to trace how microbes compete for these nutrients. The team plans to identify molecular "gatekeepers" that determine which bacteria thrive. Those discoveries could guide new drugs or diet-based approaches to favor helpful microbes over harmful ones.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adults with colon cancer or people at high risk who are willing to provide stool or tissue samples and share clinical information.
Not a fit: People looking for immediate clinical treatment or those with conditions unrelated to the gut microbiome are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic research in the short term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable therapies or dietary strategies that reshape the gut microbiome to help prevent or treat colon cancer and other diseases.
How similar studies have performed: Approaches like fecal microbiota transplant have helped some conditions, but directly targeting bacterial sugar-processing pathways is a newer and largely experimental direction.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundberg, Eric John — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Sundberg, Eric John
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.