How the brain, bone marrow, and gut interact after severe injury
The Role of Brain-Bone Marrow-Gut Interaction following Major Trauma
This work explores how major trauma changes brain signaling, bone marrow activity, and gut microbes in people who survive injury and how those changes can cause long-term anemia and infection risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11190803 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, researchers will collect blood and other samples from trauma survivors and use animal models to trace how stress hormones, inflammation, and gut microbes affect bone marrow recovery. They will analyze gene activity in bone marrow cells, measure iron and erythropoietin function, track loss of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, and study changes in the gut microbiome. The team combines human sample studies with rodent experiments to test how chronic stress and catecholamine release prolong anemia and raise infection risk after transfusions. The goal is to identify biological signals that could be targeted to restore marrow function and improve long-term recovery for trauma survivors.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults who recently survived severe traumatic injury—especially those with prolonged critical illness, ongoing anemia, or multiple blood transfusions—would be the most relevant candidates.
Not a fit: People without recent major injury or whose anemia comes from unrelated chronic illnesses (for example, advanced kidney disease) are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to treatments that reduce persistent anemia and lower infection complications for people recovering from major trauma.
How similar studies have performed: Previous human and animal studies, including work from the PI's lab, have shown links between trauma, marrow dysfunction, and microbiome changes, but turning those findings into clinical treatments is still early and partly untested.
Where this research is happening
Gainesville, United States
- University of Florida — Gainesville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mohr, Alicia M — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Mohr, Alicia M
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.