Gut bacteria and immune cells to calm autoimmune uveitis
Official title: Intestinal T cells and microbiota as therapeutic targets in autoimmune uveitis
Funded at Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru · NIH-11123239 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Tests whether changing gut bacteria or giving bacterial metabolites can boost immune-regulating cells and reduce eye inflammation for people with autoimmune uveitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cleveland, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $505,063 |
| NIH project number | 5R01EY032882-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11123239 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with chronic non-infectious autoimmune uveitis who are seeking alternatives to broad anti-inflammatory drugs would be most relevant to the findings of this work.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose uveitis is caused by infection or who have unrelated eye disease are unlikely to benefit from the approaches studied here.
What this research studies
Researchers use a mouse model of autoimmune uveitis to see if altering gut bacteria with antibiotics or giving short-chain fatty acids (the chemicals produced when bacteria digest fiber) increases regulatory T cells that calm inflammation. They will transfer these regulatory T cells into other animals and run lab tests to see if the cells suppress harmful immune responses. The team will also track whether immune cells from the gut move to lymph nodes and the eye and whether those changes lower eye inflammation. The goal is to find gut-based ways to reset immune balance that could point toward future treatments for uveitis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new gut-targeted therapies or metabolite treatments that reduce eye inflammation and help prevent vision loss from autoimmune uveitis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous animal studies have shown that changing gut bacteria or giving short-chain fatty acids can raise regulatory T cells and lessen autoimmune inflammation, though human testing for uveitis remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
Cleveland, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lin, Phoebe — Cleveland Clinic Lerner Com-Cwru
- Study coordinator: Lin, Phoebe
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Changes in gut bacteria in patients with non-infectious uveitis
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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.