How gut glial cells control bowel movement after inflammation
Regulation of enteric motor neurocircuits by enteric glia in health and disease
This project looks at how supportive cells in the gut change after inflammation and how those changes can cause long-lasting bowel movement problems for people with IBS or IBD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Michigan State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (East Lansing, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11370229 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, scientists will watch how enteric glial cells and different gut nerve cells behave using advanced genetic imaging tools that report calcium activity. They will use methods that can selectively turn glial cells on or off to see how those changes affect specific nerve subtypes and gut muscle activity. The team will use models of gut inflammation to mimic post-inflammatory changes that many patients experience and track how glial signaling shifts after inflammation. This is laboratory-based work aimed at understanding mechanisms that could guide future treatments rather than a clinical treatment today.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with ongoing bowel movement or motility problems following gut inflammation, such as post-infectious IBS or IBD-related motility symptoms, would find this research most relevant.
Not a fit: Patients whose bowel problems come from structural issues like obstruction, cancer, or non-inflammatory neurological diseases are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify new targets to treat chronic gut motility problems after inflammation in people with IBS or IBD.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies have hinted that enteric glia affect gut motility, but combining subtype-specific calcium imaging with glial chemogenetic control to map and change these circuits is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
East Lansing, United States
- Michigan State University — East Lansing, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gulbransen, Brian D. — Michigan State University
- Study coordinator: Gulbransen, Brian D.
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 below.