How a mother's obesity might affect her child’s breast cancer risk through the gut
Official title: Effect of maternal obesity on breast cancer among offspring: role of the gut microbiota
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11375040 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study investigates whether maternal obesity changes a child’s gut bacteria in a way that could increase breast cancer risk later in life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $354,579 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA276775-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11375040 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Any child at risk due to maternal obesity factors could benefit, particularly if later translational steps are pursued.
✕Less likely to help
If no causal link is found, the direct impact on patients may be limited.
What this research studies
Researchers will use mouse models to explore if gut microbes from offspring of obese mothers contribute to higher breast cancer risk. They will transfer gut bacteria from offspring of obese dams into other mice to see if it changes cancer development, and they will use gene-edited mice lacking GPR43 or GPR41 to understand how these receptors influence the effect. The work aims to connect maternal obesity, gut microbiota, immune function, and cancer susceptibility in offspring. Findings could point to microbiome-related strategies to reduce cancer risk originating early in life.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could reveal microbiome-based avenues to lower breast cancer risk linked to maternal obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows microbiota can influence cancer risk in animal models, but this study tests a specific maternal-obesity–offspring pathway with human relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hilakivi-Clarke, Leena a. — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Hilakivi-Clarke, Leena a.
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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.