How obesity may help protect against sepsis
Official title: Obesity-mediated protection in sepsis
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11122173 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking into how being overweight might actually help some people with sepsis, a serious illness, by understanding how it affects their immune system and metabolism, with the goal of finding new treatments to make sepsis safer for everyone.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $380,742 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM152104-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11122173 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals with obesity who are at risk of or currently experiencing sepsis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not obese or those who do not have a history of sepsis may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the surprising link between obesity and improved survival rates in patients with sepsis, a severe and often deadly condition. By examining how obesity affects immune function and metabolism during sepsis, the study aims to uncover the biological mechanisms that provide this protective effect. Researchers will analyze patient samples and use animal models to explore these differences, ultimately seeking to develop new therapies that could reduce the risks associated with sepsis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment strategies that significantly lower the morbidity and mortality rates associated with sepsis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have indicated a paradoxical association between obesity and improved outcomes in sepsis, suggesting that this area of research has potential for significant findings.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Starr, Marlene Elena — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Starr, Marlene Elena
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Exploring how tiny inflammatory vesicles link obesity and worse sepsis outcomes
A disease-focused research effort looks at tiny body messengers released with obesity to see if they worsen sepsis outcomes.
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Why obesity may protect people during sepsis
Researchers are comparing immune responses and cell metabolism in obese and non-obese patients with sepsis to understand why obesity appears linked to better survival.
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How sepsis changes body fat in children and how obesity affects that
This work looks at how sepsis changes the type and behavior of fat in children and whether being obese changes those fat responses.
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Understanding how fats in the body may help obese patients survive sepsis better
This study is looking into how being overweight might actually help people with sepsis, a serious infection, survive better, and it will check if certain fat levels in the body play a role in this, as well as how cholesterol-lowering medications might change things.
-
Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
-
Role of blood flow mechanics and transfusion in sepsis-related tiny-cl vessel clots
A patient-focused look at how red blood cell flow and transfusions might influence tiny blood vessel clots and organ problems in sepsis.
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.