Gut bacteria stability in ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

The Influence Of Gut Microbiota Stability In Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NIH-funded research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11296873

Researchers are tracking gut bacteria over several years in people with ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease (and healthy volunteers) to see whether long-term bacterial stability links to flares and outcomes after fecal transplants.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionIcahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11296873 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would provide stool samples once a year for up to five years so researchers can follow the makeup of your gut bacteria over time. People who received fecal microbiota transplants for ulcerative colitis will be followed after treatment to see which donor strains stick around. The team will use DNA sequencing and laboratory methods to identify which bacterial strains are stable or lost in each person. The goal is to connect patterns of bacterial change with long-term remission or relapse.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, including those who’ve had a fecal microbiota transplant and are in remission, plus healthy volunteers for comparison.

Not a fit: People without inflammatory bowel disease or those needing immediate urgent treatment are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict flares and improve long-term success of fecal transplants by identifying protective or harmful bacterial strains.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies show fecal transplants can help some people with ulcerative colitis, but long-term tracking of specific bacterial strains to predict relapse is a relatively new approach.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.