How diabetes-related changes in gut bacteria affect the heart
Official title: Role of Diabetes Associated Intestinal Dysbiosis in cardiac disease
Funded at Georgia State University · NIH-11118800 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looks at whether diabetes-related changes in gut bacteria allow bacteria or their products to leak into the body and harm the heart in people with diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $532,506 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL168465-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11118800 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with diabetes, especially those with signs or risk factors for heart disease, would be most likely to benefit from related treatments or trials.
✕Less likely to help
People without diabetes or those whose heart problems are caused by non-inflammatory issues may be less likely to benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will transfer gut bacteria from diabetic animals to non-diabetic animals and monitor heart function, gut barrier strength, and signs of bacterial spread. They will examine whether slower gut movement and higher intestinal sugar levels drive harmful shifts in the microbiome. The team will identify specific microbes or microbial products linked to inflammation and cardiac dysfunction. Finally, they will test approaches to change the microbiome to prevent or reduce heart problems related to diabetes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to microbiome-based strategies to prevent or reduce heart damage in people with diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies, including microbiota transplant experiments, have linked diabetic gut bacteria to heart dysfunction, but human clinical evidence for microbiome treatments in diabetic heart disease remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia State University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zou, Jun — Georgia State University
- Study coordinator: Zou, Jun
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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.