Gut bacteria and the molecules they make
Human microbiome metabolites in health and disease
This project finds how gut bacteria change chemicals in the body that can affect conditions like diabetes and mood.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard Medical School NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11115593 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This work explores how bacteria that live in your gut change naturally produced body molecules and what those changes mean for health. The team isolates human-associated gut bacteria and identifies the small molecules they produce or modify, focusing on things like bile acids, steroids, and vitamins. They map the bacterial pathways that create these compounds and test how the compounds act on host cells and tissues. By linking specific bacterial chemistry to effects on metabolism and brain-related signaling, the work aims to point toward new diagnostic markers or treatment ideas.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants would include people with adult-onset (type 2) diabetes or affective (mood) disorders, as well as healthy volunteers willing to provide stool or blood samples for analysis.
Not a fit: People seeking immediate clinical treatment should not expect direct benefit, since this is laboratory-focused research designed to enable future therapies rather than provide immediate care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could point to new tests or therapies that target gut bacterial chemistry to help people with diabetes, mood disorders, and related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: This group and others have already discovered novel gut microbial metabolites and mapped some biosynthetic steps, but translating those discoveries into clinical treatments remains early.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard Medical School — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devlin, Abigail Sloan — Harvard Medical School
- Study coordinator: Devlin, Abigail Sloan
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.