How the gut bacterium Akkermansia helps control intestinal inflammation
Official title: Understanding the molecular mechanisms of Akkermansia glycan-binding adhesins in shaping microbial communities and balancing intestinal inflammation in response to host signals
Funded at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic · NIH-11458878 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are looking at how the common gut microbe Akkermansia uses surface proteins to live on the intestinal lining and reduce inflammation in people with conditions like type 2 diabetes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lebanon, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $249,000 |
| NIH project number | 4R00DK137017-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11458878 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with type 2 diabetes or chronic gut inflammation who are willing to provide stool samples or enroll in microbiome-related studies would be most relevant.
✕Less likely to help
People without gut or metabolic conditions, or those unable or unwilling to provide biological samples, are unlikely to see direct benefit from participating.
What this research studies
If you've ever wondered how gut bacteria protect your gut, this project follows Akkermansia strains collected from people and lab models to learn how their sticky surface proteins attach to the intestine. Scientists will compare different human-derived strains and grow them with intestinal mucin and other gut microbes to see how they promote production of butyrate, a helpful molecule. They will also test how these bacteria and their adhesins influence immune signals using cell systems and animal models. Molecular and genetic experiments will be used to pinpoint which adhesins change microbial communities and inflammation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new probiotic or drug approaches that reduce gut inflammation and improve metabolic health in people with type 2 diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier human and animal research has linked Akkermansia to better metabolic and inflammatory outcomes, but the specific adhesin-based mechanisms in this project are largely novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
Lebanon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Timothy Jarrod — Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Study coordinator: Smith, Timothy Jarrod
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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.