How gut bacteria shape your antibody defenses
Official title: Mechanisms of commensal bacteria induced humoral immunity
Funded at Upstate Medical University · NIH-11353771 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores how good gut bacteria help your body produce protective antibodies, with a focus on people who may be at risk for diabetes and other inflammation-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Upstate Medical University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Syracuse, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $407,500 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM147560-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11353771 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals with diabetes-related immune concerns or those with a gut microbiome profile suggesting strong IgA responses, pending study design details.
✕Less likely to help
People without relevant immune or microbiome profiles may not receive direct benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how certain gut bacteria trigger the immune system to make IgA antibodies, including how these antibodies appear in the gut and in blood-forming sites like bone marrow. They plan to use broad, data-driven methods to identify the gene-level signals and interactions that drive systemic IgA responses from commensal bacteria. The findings could reveal new ways to support intestinal balance and possibly use friendly bacteria as vaccines in the future. The study aims to translate these insights into strategies to maintain health in people affected by diabetes-related immune changes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to new approaches to support immune balance and possibly improve protection against infections for people with diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has linked gut bacteria to systemic IgA and immune responses, but this project takes a broad, gene-level approach that is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Upstate Medical University
Syracuse, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilmore, Joel R — Upstate Medical University
- Study coordinator: Wilmore, Joel R
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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.