How helpful gut bacteria survive inflammation in the intestine
Commensal bacteria resilience mechanisms in the inflamed intestine
['FUNDING_R01'] · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER · NIH-11370521
This project looks at how common gut bacteria keep working during intestinal inflammation to help people stay healthy.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11370521 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Researchers will use lab experiments and animal models to study a common gut microbe called Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and how it copes when the inflamed gut limits iron. They will examine interactions between commensal bacteria, pathogens, and host iron-binding proteins to see how bacteria acquire or conserve iron. The team will test specific bacterial genes and mechanisms that allow survival under iron starvation. These lab findings aim to point toward ways to protect the microbiome during conditions like inflammatory bowel disease or gut infections.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with intestinal inflammation, such as those with inflammatory bowel disease or recurrent gut infections, are the most relevant patient group for future applications of this research.
Not a fit: People without gut inflammation or whose conditions are unrelated to the gut microbiome are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this basic science work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new microbiome-based strategies or treatments to protect gut bacteria and improve outcomes for people with intestinal inflammation.
How similar studies have performed: Pathogen strategies for acquiring iron are well established and preliminary lab data suggest commensals may pirate those systems, but using this knowledge to protect the microbiome is still a new area.
Where this research is happening
NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES
- VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER — NASHVILLE, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ZHU, WENHAN — VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER
- Study coordinator: ZHU, WENHAN
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.
Conditions: Animal Disease Models