Illuminating the tiny gut world: mapping and guiding therapies for the small intestine microbiota
Official title: Illuminating the dark matter of the human small intestinal microbiota
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11408533 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project from Stanford aims to map and understand the small intestine’s microbes to develop therapies that improve gut health and prevent diseases like Crohn’s and SIBO.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2025 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,080,800 |
| NIH project number | 5DP1DK147449-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11408533 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with Crohn’s disease affecting the small intestine or small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may be particularly relevant for future trials or therapies from this work.
✕Less likely to help
Some patients without small intestine disorders may not directly benefit from these targeted SI microbiome advances.
What this research studies
This grant focuses on creating a detailed atlas of the small intestine microbiota, building a synthetic microbial community that can resist pathogen colonization, and enabling precise control of microbes in the small intestine using phage editing and targeted delivery. It addresses the big challenge that most microbiome work uses stool samples, which don’t reflect the small intestine, by advancing sampling, isolation, and design methods specifically for the SI environment. The work envisions translating these insights into therapies that can be delivered where nutrients are absorbed and immune interactions occur, potentially improving digestive health. The project builds on recent progress and lays out a roadmap to move from basic discovery to clinically relevant tools that could benefit patients with intestinal diseases.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could enable new microbiome-based therapies that target the small intestine to reduce inflammation and improve nutrient absorption.
How similar studies have gone: Previous microbiome research has shown promise, but this aims to create SI-specific tools and therapies, which is novel and potentially higher impact.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Huang, Kerwyn C. — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Huang, Kerwyn C.
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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.