Detailed genetic look at C. difficile and the gut microbiome in infection and relapse
Official title: High-resolution genomic interrogation of pathogen-microbiome interactions in Clostridioides difficile infection
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11311860 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will sequence C. difficile and gut bacteria from thousands of patient stool samples to find genetic and microbial patterns linked to severe or recurring infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | May 22, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $767,314 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI184858-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311860 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who have had or currently have C. difficile infection and who can provide stool samples or allow access to their clinical records would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without C. difficile infection, those unwilling or unable to provide stool samples or medical data, or whose samples are not part of the cohort are unlikely to be included or directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will analyze more than 30,000 patient stool samples with linked clinical records to map C. difficile strains and the surrounding gut microbiome at high genomic resolution. By comparing bacterial genomes, microbial community features, and patient health data, the team will look for genetic elements and microbe interactions that track with disease severity or recurrence. The work combines advanced sequencing, computational genomics, and clinical metadata to build detailed maps of pathogen–microbiome–host dynamics. Results are intended to point to biomarkers or intervention targets to reduce recurrent and severe C. difficile infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help predict who is most likely to have severe or recurrent C. difficile and guide more personalized prevention or treatment approaches.
How similar studies have gone: Prior microbiome and genomic studies have linked loss of gut bacteria and specific C. difficile strains to relapse risk, but this very large, high-resolution genomic analysis is broader and relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dantas, Gautam — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Dantas, Gautam
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how the immune system fights C. difficile to prevent recurrence
A new NIH grant is studying how the body’s own immune response to C. difficile infection might be boosted to prevent future outbreaks.
-
Impact of gut bile acids on C. difficile infection in inflammatory bowel disease
This grant tests whether changes in gut microbes and their bile acids influence how likely people with inflammatory bowel disease are to get and how severe a C. difficile infection could be.
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Role of gut bacteria in shaping C. difficile infection
Aims to map how the gut microbiome and its metabolic environment influence Clostridioides difficile infection in people and how we might prevent or treat it.
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Multivalent vaccine to prevent C. difficile infection and recurrence
This project is developing a vaccine that teaches the immune system to neutralize C. difficile toxins and block the bacteria from coming back for people at risk of infection.
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Gut-targeted antibiotics for C. difficile infection
Developing gut-targeted antibiotics to kill C. difficile while keeping healthy gut bacteria for people with recurrent C. difficile infections.
-
Technology-Driven Root-Cause Analysis and Clinical Enhancement for C. difficile Infections
A new digital platform uses hospital data to streamline how hospitals analyze and prevent hospital-acquired C. diff infections.
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.