How long-term heavy drinking changes sepsis outcomes
Official title: The Impact of Chronic Alcohol Abuse on the Pathophysiology of Sepsis
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11160576 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at how chronic heavy drinking alters the gut barrier and immune responses in people with alcohol use disorder who develop sepsis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2014 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $352,125 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA027396-11 |
| Project ID | NIH-11160576 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
The findings are most relevant to adults with alcohol use disorder who develop or are at high risk for sepsis, especially those hospitalized with severe infection.
✕Less likely to help
People without a history of chronic heavy alcohol use or those with non-sepsis illnesses are unlikely to benefit directly from the specific findings.
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers use a controlled model of long-term alcohol exposure followed by sepsis to see why outcomes are worse for people with alcohol use disorder. They focus on how the intestine becomes more leaky and how the adaptive immune system is disrupted after chronic alcohol use. The team studies specific gut barrier pathways and immune cells (including CD103-related responses) that may let gut contents trigger worse inflammation. The goal is to find biological mechanisms that could guide more targeted treatments for these patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new, more personalized treatments that reduce death and complications from sepsis in people with alcohol use disorder.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and clinical studies have suggested links between alcohol, increased gut permeability, and worse infection outcomes, but targeted precision therapies for alcohol-related sepsis remain largely untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Coopersmith, Craig M — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Coopersmith, Craig M
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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.