Gut bacteria and bile acids linked to heart function after bariatric surgery
Official title: Identifying Gut Microbiome Mediated Mechanisms for Diastolic Dysfunction Improvement After Bariatric Surgery
Funded at Medical College of Wisconsin · NIH-11326772 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how gut microbes and bile acids after sleeve gastrectomy might improve heart function in people with obesity-related diastolic problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical College of Wisconsin NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Milwaukee, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $431,830 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL158900-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11326772 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with obesity who are candidates for bariatric surgery or who have undergone sleeve gastrectomy and have diastolic dysfunction.
✕Less likely to help
People without obesity-related diastolic dysfunction or those not considering bariatric surgery may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
Researchers will explore whether changes in the gut microbiome after sleeve gastrectomy alter bile acids in the blood to activate FXR signaling and improve diastolic function. They will use mouse models with fecal transfers, analyze stool from both mice and humans, and study how these changes affect the heart’s metabolism in cells engineered to control FXR activity. The work combines animal experiments, human samples, and cell biology to trace a potential gut-heart connection after weight-loss surgery. If the findings hold, this could reveal new targets for treating diastolic dysfunction beyond weight loss alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding this gut-heart link could lead to new therapies that improve heart function in people with obesity-related diastolic dysfunction.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work in animals and humans suggests gut microbiome–bile acid signaling can influence heart function, but human data remain exploratory.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kindel, Tammy Lyn — Medical College of Wisconsin
- Study coordinator: Kindel, Tammy Lyn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how gut bacteria changes after weight loss surgery can improve heart function.
This study is looking at how sleeve gastrectomy, a type of weight-loss surgery, can help improve heart function in people with obesity-related heart issues by examining changes in gut bacteria and bile acids after the surgery.
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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.