How gut immune cells respond to bile acids and vitamin D signals
Nuclear Receptor Control of T Cell Function in Discrete Intestinal Microenvironments
This project looks at how certain gut immune cells react to bile acids and vitamin D signals to help people with inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lebanon, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11173765 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
The team will compare immune cells from the small and large intestine to see how they use nuclear receptors like CAR and vitamin D receptors to handle local metabolites such as bile acids. They will use laboratory models and molecular analyses to map the different responses of CD4+ T cells in each gut region. The work builds on recent lab findings that link these receptors to how T cells tolerate or drive inflammation. Results are intended to point toward more targeted, region-specific ways to reduce gut inflammation in IBD.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis) who are interested in research that could inform future targeted therapies.
Not a fit: People without IBD or those whose disease is already well controlled by existing treatments are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to safer, more targeted treatments that reduce inflammation in people with inflammatory bowel disease.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory studies have shown promising links between nuclear receptors (like CAR) or vitamin D pathways and gut immune regulation, but clinical applications remain new.
Where this research is happening
Lebanon, United States
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic — Lebanon, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sundrud, Mark Scott — Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Study coordinator: Sundrud, Mark Scott
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.