How alcohol harms the gut's cell-cleanup process and affects liver health
Official title: Role of Intestinal Autophagy in the Pathogenesis of Alcohol Associated Liver Disease
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11329068 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how heavy drinking disrupts the gut’s cell-cleaning system (autophagy) and how that contributes to alcohol-related liver disease, aiming to point to new treatment targets for people with ALD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $472,978 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030571-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11329068 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of heavy alcohol use or diagnosed alcohol-associated liver disease would be the most relevant candidates to follow or participate in related studies.
✕Less likely to help
People whose liver disease is not linked to alcohol (for example viral hepatitis or genetic liver disorders) or those without gut involvement may not benefit directly from these findings.
What this research studies
As someone affected by alcohol-related liver disease, I would want researchers to understand why my gut and liver get worse with drinking, and this work focuses on the gut’s autophagy system that keeps intestinal cells healthy. The team studies how chronic alcohol exposure breaks autophagy, allows gut microbes to shift, and weakens the gut barrier so inflammatory material reaches the liver. They use laboratory models to track autophagosome formation, gut barrier function, and changes in the microbiome, and test approaches that restore autophagy. The goal is to find gut-based targets that could become future treatments to prevent or slow liver damage from alcohol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new ways to protect the gut and prevent or slow alcohol-related liver injury, guiding future treatments for people with ALD.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical work has hinted that fixing autophagy can protect gut and liver cells, but clinical therapies directly targeting intestinal autophagy for ALD remain largely untested and novel.
Where this research is happening
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Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Thomes, Paul Gideon — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: Thomes, Paul Gideon
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.