Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease: how gut bugs relate to symptoms and progression
Official title: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study of gut microbiota in Parkinson's disease
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11583671 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-year study will look at gut bacteria and related markers in people with Parkinson’s disease to understand how the gut-brain connection may influence 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 start | August 15, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $200,000 |
| NIH project number | 3U01DK140936-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11583671 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease who can provide stool samples and attend follow-up visits over time.
✕Less likely to help
People without PD or those unable to provide longitudinal stool samples may not benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project will enroll Parkinson’s patients and collect stool samples along with detailed clinical information over time to study gut microbes and their functions. Researchers will use advanced analyses to identify microbiome patterns that align with disease features and progression. The goal is to find microbiome-based markers that could predict outcomes and inform future gut-targeted therapies that may help manage PD symptoms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to new ways to predict disease course and develop gut-focused treatments to ease PD symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests gut microbiota differences are present in PD, but predictive biomarkers and targeted interventions remain under investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Xie, Tao — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Xie, Tao
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Gut-Brain Axis in Parkinson’s Disease: biomarkers and procedures to track progression
A patient-focused program to study how gut health and the brain interact in Parkinson’s disease using biomarkers and clinical procedures.
-
Gut microbiome clues for Parkinson’s disease progression
A study looks at how gut bacteria and their chemicals relate to Parkinson’s disease over time to find potential biomarkers and new treatment ideas.
-
Gut-brain connections in Parkinson’s disease and how they relate to disease severity and progression
A study at Rush University Medical Center will look at how gut health and brain disease interact in people with Parkinson’s to better understand how the illness grows and gets worse.
-
Gut microbiome and 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.
-
Gut–brain connections in Parkinson's disease
This project adds gut and brain tests to look for gut-based signs that track Parkinson's disease progression in people living with Parkinson's.
-
Understanding gut bacteria in Parkinson's disease
This research explores how gut bacteria might be connected to Parkinson's disease in people.
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.