How immune cells in the stomach may drive gastroparesis
Official title: From stomach tissue to cellular mechanisms: unraveling the role of mononuclear phagocytes in the pathophysiology of gastroparesis
Funded at University of California, San Diego · NIH-11144478 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work looks at whether specific immune cells in the stomach differ in people with gastroparesis and how those differences link to delayed emptying and symptoms.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Diego NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (La Jolla, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $395,000 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK131500-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11144478 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults diagnosed with gastroparesis who can provide clinical information and agree to stomach biopsy or tissue sampling at the study site.
✕Less likely to help
People without gastroparesis or those unable or unwilling to undergo endoscopic tissue sampling are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine stomach tissue from people with and without gastroparesis using advanced single-cell methods (including mass cytometry) to map immune cell types and states. They will compare immune cells in both the stomach mucosa and muscularis layers and measure how cell changes relate to gastric emptying and symptom severity. The team will analyze numbers and function of mononuclear phagocytes (a group that includes macrophages and related cells) to identify dysregulated populations. Results aim to point to cellular mechanisms that could become targets for new treatments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify immune cell targets that lead to new therapies to reduce nausea, pain, and delayed gastric emptying in gastroparesis patients.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest immune cell differences in gastroparesis, but translating these cellular findings into effective treatments is a new and still unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Idoyaga, Juliana — University of California, San Diego
- Study coordinator: Idoyaga, Juliana
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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New England Gastroparesis Consortium: Neurobiology of Gastroparesis
A national project to learn about gastroparesis in children and adults by creating a registry and gathering information from patients to understand symptoms, quality of life, and disease progression.
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Pediatric and Young Adult Gastroparesis Registry and Disease Course
This project follows children, teens, and young adults with symptoms of gastroparesis to learn how their symptoms change over time and what factors are tied to different disease patterns.
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Pediatric gastroparesis: building a nationwide patient registry
This grant funds a national registry to study gastroparesis and similar tummy problems in children and teens, with the goal of better understanding how the condition affects their daily lives.
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Gut-resident macrophages and gastric function in gastroparesis
A study in people with gastroparesis to understand how gut macrophages affect stomach movement and gut barrier health, with the hope of finding new ways to treat the condition.
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Gastric electrical stimulation for stomach pain in gastroparesis
A new approach tests how adjusting a stomach-stimulating implant may reduce pain for people with gastroparesis.
-
Peptide therapies for gastroparesis in diabetes
A new peptide-based treatment is being tested to help people with gastroparesis linked to diabetes by improving stomach emptying and reducing inflammation.
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.