Investigating how a high-fat/high-protein diet affects Clostridioides difficile infections
Official title: A systems-level approach to probe the effect of a high- fat/high-protein diet in Clostridioides difficile infection
Funded at University of Nevada Las Vegas · NIH-10515273 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a high-fat and high-protein diet affects people with Clostridioides difficile infections, which can happen after taking antibiotics, to see if changing what you eat could help improve your gut health and fight the infection.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nevada Las Vegas NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Las Vegas, United States) |
| Project start | July 13, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $447,276 |
| NIH project number | 1R15AI164346-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10515273 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals at risk for CDI, particularly those who have recently used antibiotics or have a history of gastrointestinal issues.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have a history of CDI or are not at risk for gastrointestinal infections may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research explores the impact of a high-fat/high-protein diet on Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), a significant cause of healthcare-associated infections. Using a mouse model, the study examines how this diet influences the gut microbiome and the body's response to CDI, particularly in the context of antibiotic use. The researchers aim to understand the mechanisms by which diet may exacerbate or mitigate the severity of CDI, potentially leading to new dietary recommendations for at-risk patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to dietary guidelines that help prevent or reduce the severity of Clostridioides difficile infections in patients.
How similar studies have gone: While there have been studies on diet and gut health, this specific approach to understanding the interaction between diet and CDI is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nevada Las Vegas
Las Vegas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hedlund, Brian P — University of Nevada Las Vegas
- Study coordinator: Hedlund, Brian P
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how the immune system fights C. difficile to prevent recurrence
A new NIH grant is studying how the body’s own immune response to C. difficile infection might be boosted to prevent future outbreaks.
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Impact of gut bile acids on C. difficile infection in inflammatory bowel disease
This grant tests whether changes in gut microbes and their bile acids influence how likely people with inflammatory bowel disease are to get and how severe a C. difficile infection could be.
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Role of gut bacteria in shaping C. difficile infection
Aims to map how the gut microbiome and its metabolic environment influence Clostridioides difficile infection in people and how we might prevent or treat it.
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Detailed genetic look at C. difficile and the gut microbiome in infection and relapse
Researchers will sequence C. difficile and gut bacteria from thousands of patient stool samples to find genetic and microbial patterns linked to severe or recurring infections.
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Multivalent vaccine to prevent C. difficile infection and recurrence
This project is developing a vaccine that teaches the immune system to neutralize C. difficile toxins and block the bacteria from coming back for people at risk of infection.
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Gut-targeted antibiotics for C. difficile infection
Developing gut-targeted antibiotics to kill C. difficile while keeping healthy gut bacteria for people with recurrent C. difficile infections.
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.