How the gut and liver affect fat absorption in very premature babies
Liver-Gut-Microbiome Axis and Fatty acid absorption in Preterm Infants
This project tests whether immature gut bacteria, altered bile acids, and pasteurized donor milk make it harder for very low birth weight preterm babies to absorb essential fats.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11290329 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From the parent’s perspective, this work follows very low birth weight preterm infants in the NICU and collects stool, blood, and feeding information to link gut microbes and bile acids with fat absorption and growth. The team will compare infants fed maternal milk versus pasteurized donor milk and measure key long-chain fatty acids, bile acids, and microbiome diversity. Laboratory tests will examine how pasteurization affects milk lipase and how microbes change lipid digestion and uptake. The goal is to find feeding or treatment changes that could improve fat absorption and support better growth and development.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are very low birth weight preterm infants cared for in the NICU, especially those receiving donor milk or showing poor weight gain or cholestasis.
Not a fit: Full-term infants, older infants not in the NICU, or babies whose growth problems are unrelated to fat absorption are unlikely to get direct benefit from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to feeding changes or therapies that improve fat absorption, growth, and brain/eye development in very premature infants.
How similar studies have performed: Prior work shows pasteurization can reduce milk lipase and that donor-fed VLBW infants may have lower microbiome diversity and poorer growth, but targeted fixes for fatty-acid absorption remain relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hair, Amy Boriskie — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Hair, Amy Boriskie
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.