Long-term gut microbiome and NAFLD progression in diverse adults
Official title: Longitudinal Study of Early NAFLD Progression and the Gut Microbiome in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Whites
Funded at University of Hawaii at Manoa · NIH-11368485 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A long-term study will follow 300 adults from diverse racial groups to see how their gut bacteria relate to the progression of fatty liver disease over about a decade.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Hawaii at Manoa NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Honolulu, United States) |
| Project start | September 26, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $632,485 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MD018265-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11368485 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 60–77 who are part of the MEC-APS cohort and belong to Japanese American, Native Hawaiian, or White racial/ethnic groups.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not in these racial/ethnic groups or outside the specified age range may not benefit from these findings.
What this research studies
This project will track liver fat and fibrosis over time in a diverse group of adults aged 60–77, using gut microbiome data from 16S sequencing and related measures. Researchers will collect dietary information and biomarker data to explore how gut bacteria may mediate the effects of diet on liver disease progression. The study builds on previous findings to look for patterns that predict worsening NAFLD and identify potential targets for prevention. Participants will contribute samples and health information during planned follow-ups over several years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could lead to personalized strategies to slow or prevent NAFLD progression based on gut bacteria and diet.
How similar studies have gone: Previous cross-sectional studies linked gut bacteria to NAFLD; this study extends to a longitudinal setting to confirm temporal relationships.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Honolulu, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lim, Unhee — University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Study coordinator: Lim, Unhee
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Long-term study of NAFLD progression and gut bacteria in diverse groups
We’re following people over time to see how the gut microbiome and diet relate to fatty liver disease progression in diverse racial/ethnic groups.
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Understanding Liver Disease Progression and Gut Health in Diverse Communities
This research looks at how changes in gut bacteria might be connected to the progression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) over time in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and White individuals.
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Understanding Liver Fat and Gut Health in Diverse Communities
This project looks at how gut bacteria and diet might be connected to the progression of fatty liver disease in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and White individuals.
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This study is looking at how the gut bacteria and diet affect the early stages of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and liver damage over ten years, especially in people from different backgrounds, to find new ways to prevent and treat these conditions.
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Investigating how gut bacteria affect liver disease progression in diverse populations
This study is looking at how the bacteria in our gut and what we eat might affect the worsening of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) over time in Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Whites, and it involves tracking participants for almost ten years to learn more about these connections.
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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.
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.