Gut bacterial lectins as a path to new live therapies for inflammatory bowel disease
Characterization of lectins to understand human microbiome functions and develop live biotherapeutics
Seeing if a bacterial protein called Cbeg5 can change immune cells and lead to new live therapies for people with inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11321561 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study a protein made by common gut bacteria (Cbeg5) to learn how it influences immune cells that live in the gut. They will use lab-grown human immune cells, animal models, and analysis of human microbiome samples to map which cells and pathways are affected. The team will test whether delivering this protein or bacteria that produce it can reduce gut inflammation in models of inflammatory bowel disease. They will also search the microbiome for other bacterial lectins that might similarly affect human immune responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) who are interested in microbiome-based treatments would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without gut inflammatory conditions or those seeking an immediate approved therapy are unlikely to benefit from this early-stage research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to new microbiome-based live therapies that reduce harmful gut inflammation in people with IBD.
How similar studies have performed: Other microbiome-based and live biotherapeutic approaches have shown promise in lab studies and early clinical trials, but using bacterial lectins like Cbeg5 as a therapy is a newer and largely untested idea.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cohen, Louis Jared — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Cohen, Louis Jared
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.