How low-oxygen signals control cellular recycling and interactions with gut bacteria
Official title: HIF-Regulated Autophagy in Host-microbe Interactions
Funded at VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System · NIH-11213982 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will explore how low-oxygen signals change cells' recycling processes and their interactions with gut bacteria that can contribute to inflammatory bowel disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5IK2BX006088-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11213982 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis), especially those with treatment-resistant or recurring inflammation, would be the patient groups most likely to benefit or be future trial candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without IBD or whose symptoms are caused by non-inflammatory conditions of the gut are unlikely to benefit from this basic science work.
What this research studies
This work looks at how hypoxia-inducible factors (signals cells use when oxygen is low) regulate autophagy, the cell's recycling system, and how that influences interactions with gut bacteria linked to IBD. The team will use lab models, including animal models and cell-based experiments, to map molecular pathways and binding events that control autophagy. Techniques such as ChIP-chip will be used to identify where regulatory proteins bind DNA and change gene activity. The goal is to uncover mechanisms that could point to new targets for treating gut inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify new molecular targets to develop treatments that reduce gut inflammation in IBD.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies have linked autophagy gene defects to higher colitis risk in animal models, but targeting HIF-regulated autophagy in host-microbe interactions is a relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dowdell, Alexander Shea — VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System
- Study coordinator: Dowdell, Alexander Shea
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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.