How gut microbes move between people
Uncovering the rules of gut microbiome strain transmission
This project looks at how gut microbes are passed between family members and other people, especially from parents to children, to learn how that may affect long-term health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11252559 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be asked to provide stool samples so researchers can compare the exact bacterial strains in your gut with those from family members and unrelated people. The team uses high-resolution genome sequencing to tell closely related strains apart and to track which strains stick around for years. They plan to include samples from infants, children, and adults and may examine cases like fecal microbiota transplants to see how whole communities transfer. The aim is to understand when and how microbes are shared so we can learn which ones might influence health over a lifetime.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are parents and their children or adults willing to give stool samples over time, and people undergoing fecal microbiota transplant may also be included.
Not a fit: People with conditions unrelated to the gut microbiome or those unable to provide stool samples are unlikely to gain direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal which early-life and family-transmitted gut microbes shape long-term health and point to better prevention or microbiome-based therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows mothers commonly pass gut microbes to infants and that fecal transplants transfer strains, but detailed, long-term strain-level tracking across families is still relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Faith, Jeremiah James — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Faith, Jeremiah James
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.