How the body makes and handles sulfide
Sulfide metabolism and signaling
This project looks at how sulfide from gut bacteria and our own cells changes cellular energy use and can contribute to brain and metabolic problems.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11248055 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your point of view, researchers will track sulfide signals at the border between the gut lining and gut bacteria and follow how those signals affect cell powerhouses called mitochondria. They will combine chemical snapshots (metabolomics), gene activity maps (RNA sequencing), and gene-silencing tools (CRISPRi) to see which proteins and pathways control sulfide handling. Lab experiments will use cells and animal models and will link those findings to known human mutations that cause Leigh-like brain disease. The goal is to map the pathways that protect tissues from sulfide toxicity and how diet and microbes change those pathways.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with mitochondrial disorders, Leigh-like brain disease, or known genetic changes in sulfide-processing enzymes such as SQOR.
Not a fit: People without mitochondrial or sulfide-processing problems—such as those with unrelated common conditions—are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new tests or treatments for mitochondrial and sulfide-related brain or metabolic disorders.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies identified key sulfide-processing enzymes and some clinical SQOR mutations, but using combined metabolomics, RNA-seq, and CRISPRi to map these pathways is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Banerjee, Ruma V — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Banerjee, Ruma V
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.