Investigating the long-term effects of COVID-19 on Veterans' health
Official title: Genetic predictors, pathophysiological mechanisms, and functional consequences of post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2: Exercise challenge of gut microbiome and neuroinflammation in PASC
Funded at Wm S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hosp · NIH-10975908 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how Veterans feel after recovering from COVID-19, especially any ongoing symptoms like pain, tiredness, and brain fog, and it wants to see how exercise might help improve these issues by exploring changes in their gut health and brain inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wm S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hosp NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2023 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002616-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10975908 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are Veterans who have experienced long-term symptoms following COVID-19.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not had COVID-19 or do not exhibit long-term symptoms related to the virus may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on understanding the long-term symptoms experienced by Veterans after recovering from COVID-19, known as Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC). It aims to identify the underlying mechanisms of these symptoms, which can include pain, fatigue, and cognitive issues, by examining the role of gut microbiome changes and neuroinflammation. The study employs an exercise challenge model to reveal how physical activity impacts these conditions, potentially leading to personalized treatment strategies. By analyzing the physiological responses during exercise, researchers hope to uncover insights that are not visible at rest.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to targeted treatments that alleviate the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 in Veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research on chronic multisymptom illnesses has shown promise in understanding similar mechanisms, suggesting that this approach could yield valuable insights.
Where this research is happening
-
Wm S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hosp
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cook, Dane B. — Wm S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hosp
- Study coordinator: Cook, Dane B.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
How COVID-19 infection and genes may influence memory and dementia risk
This study looks at how getting COVID-19 and a person’s genes together affect the chance of developing memory problems and Alzheimer’s disease later in life.
-
Multi-agent AI to annotate enzymes in the human gut microbiome
A team at a major university will build an AI system that automatically curates and labels the functions of enzymes in the human gut microbiome to speed up understanding their health effects.
-
Understanding flu and COVID-19 vaccine responses in people and in the lab
Researchers at Stanford explore how flu and COVID-19 vaccines work in people and in lab tests to improve protection for adults.
-
Oral small molecule inhibitors to block SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication
A Stanford-led project tests a pill that could stop SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses from copying their RNA inside infected cells.
-
Outpatient antiviral cocktails to fight SARS-CoV-2 and future RNA viruses
Researchers at Stanford are developing outpatient antiviral cocktails that could be used easily outside the hospital to treat COVID-19 and future RNA virus infections.
-
Mapping how gut bacteria transform drugs
Scientists will study how the gut microbiome changes thousands of drugs into new forms, which could affect how well a medicine works or whether it causes side effects.
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.