How gut microbes change food and affect bacterial infections
Diet transformation by the microbiome and its impact on bacterial infection
This project looks at how the bacteria in your gut change compounds in food and how that can influence risk of food‑borne infections like Salmonella and Campylobacter.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11095888 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will study how gut microbes chemically transform molecules from the diet and how those changes help or hinder food‑borne bacteria. The team will combine laboratory work, animal models, and analysis of microbial enzymes to track which dietary compounds get altered and by which microbes. They will focus on common pathogens spread through poultry, such as Salmonella Typhimurium and Campylobacter jejuni, to see how diet‑microbiome interactions affect whether these germs can take hold. The goal is to identify dietary or microbiome targets that could be changed to reduce infection risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People at risk for or recovering from food‑borne bacterial infections—especially those with recent Salmonella or Campylobacter illness—or volunteers willing to provide stool samples and dietary information would be ideal for related participation.
Not a fit: Patients with infections unrelated to food‑borne bacteria, or those who cannot provide stool samples or make dietary changes, are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to dietary recommendations or microbiome‑based strategies that lower the chance of getting food‑borne bacterial infections.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal and some human studies show the gut microbiome can block pathogens, but targeting specific microbial enzymes that modify dietary compounds is a newer and less tested approach.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Goodman, Andrew L — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Goodman, Andrew L
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.