Gut-based ammonia detox in Arctic ground squirrels
Official title: Gut Microbiome-Mediated Ammonia Sequestration in Hibernating Arctic Ground Squirrels: A Study to Uncover Novel Mechanisms for Hyperammonemia
Funded at University of Alaska Fairbanks · NIH-11336138 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study aims to find new ways the gut helps reduce toxic ammonia levels, using Arctic ground squirrels as a natural model.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Alaska Fairbanks NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Fairbanks, United States) |
| Project start | July 16, 2019 |
| Project end | May 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $212,199 |
| NIH project number | 2P20GM130443-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11336138 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are patients with hyperammonemia risks, such as those with advanced liver disease, who could benefit from new detoxification approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without hyperammonemia or liver-related ammonia issues may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks for novel gut-based pathways that remove ammonia in a living animal model. Researchers will examine whether the gut microbiome or host organs increase ammonia sequestration into unique amino acids during hibernation. The team will test where this sequestration happens and how it could be used to help people with hyperammonemia in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could lead to new strategies to reduce ammonia toxicity in patients with liver disease or cirrhosis.
How similar studies have gone: Other models have shown ammonia sequestration can occur in amino acid pathways, but this study explores a novel gut-based mechanism.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rice, Sarah — University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Study coordinator: Rice, Sarah
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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.