Dietary taurine and a gut microbe linked to colon cancer
Official title: Interaction between dietary taurine and microbiota sulfur metabolism in the development of colorectal cancer
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11251763 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether taurine in foods and drinks helps a specific gut bacterium make harmful sulfur compounds that could raise colon cancer risk, especially in younger adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | January 1, 2025 |
| Project end | December 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $536,489 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA296643-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11251763 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This is a preclinical project that does not enroll patients, but its findings would be most relevant to younger adults at risk for colorectal cancer and people who regularly consume taurine-rich products like some energy drinks.
✕Less likely to help
People whose colorectal cancer is driven by unrelated genetic or environmental causes or who do not consume taurine-rich diets may not directly benefit from the specific findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mouse models that develop colon tumors and give them taurine in the diet to mimic high-taurine consumption, with or without colonization by the gut bacterium Bilophila wadsworthia. They will check whether the bacterium converts taurine into hydrogen sulfide, which can damage DNA, and whether that promotes tumor formation. The team will track changes in the overall gut microbiome, measure DNA damage and tumor development, and use CRISPR tools to identify the bacterial genes responsible. The work is done in a lab setting to understand a mechanism that could relate to human colorectal cancer risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to dietary advice, microbiome testing, or ways to block harmful bacterial sulfur metabolism to reduce colorectal cancer risk.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies and the team's preliminary mouse data suggest diet-driven sulfur metabolism by gut bacteria can promote colon cancer, but the specific taurine–Bilophila wadsworthia mechanism remains a new and early-stage finding.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jobin, Christian — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Jobin, Christian
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gut bacteria changes after bariatric surgery and colorectal cancer risk
This study will follow adults who had bariatric surgery to understand how changes in the gut microbiome and bile acids might influence colorectal cancer risk.
-
Gut bacteria and colorectal cancer risk in people with ulcerative colitis
Researchers are looking at whether certain gut bacteria help protect against or promote colorectal cancer in people who have ulcerative colitis.
-
How weight-loss (bariatric) surgery changes gut bacteria and colon cancer risk
This project looks at how gut bacteria, bile acids, and other body changes after bariatric surgery might affect future colorectal (colon) cancer risk in adults who had the operation.
-
How the immune receptor C3aR helps protect the gut lining and prevent colorectal cancer
This work looks at whether the protein C3aR keeps the gut barrier and bacteria balanced in ways that lower the chance of developing colorectal cancer.
-
How dietary taurine and gut bacteria interact to influence colorectal cancer development
This study is looking at how eating foods high in taurine, like energy drinks, might change certain gut bacteria and possibly increase the risk of colorectal cancer, especially in younger people, using mice to learn more about these effects.
-
Understanding how gut bacteria influence colorectal cancer in patients with ulcerative colitis
This study is looking at how the bacteria in your gut might influence the risk of developing colorectal cancer if you have ulcerative colitis, and it aims to find out which types of bacteria could help protect you or possibly increase that risk.
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.