Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease
A cross-sectional and longitudinal study of gut microbiota in Parkinson's disease
This project looks at gut bacteria and the chemicals they make in people with Parkinson's disease over time to find patterns linked to symptoms and progression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11369336 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, researchers will collect health information and stool samples from people with Parkinson's disease now and at planned follow-up visits. The stool samples will undergo advanced multi-omic testing, including a targeted metabolomics panel and a novel transfer RNA-based sequencing method (MSRseq) to track which microbes are present and what they are doing. The team will compare people with different ages at onset, motor and non-motor symptoms, and disease severity, and will follow changes over time. The goal is to find microbiome patterns that might predict disease course and point to gut-targeted treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with Parkinson's disease who can provide stool samples, share their clinical history, and attend periodic follow-up visits.
Not a fit: People seeking an immediate new therapy or those unable to provide stool samples or attend follow-up visits are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify gut-based markers to help predict Parkinson's progression and suggest targets for interventions that prevent or reduce symptoms.
How similar studies have performed: Previous cross-sectional studies have reported differences in the gut microbiome of people with Parkinson's, but longitudinal evidence and causal links remain limited, so this approach builds on prior findings but is not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Tao — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Xie, Tao
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.