Mapping and controlling interactions in the human gut microbiome
Official title: Domesticating and Mapping Interactions of the Human Gastrointestinal Microbiome
Funded at Georgia Institute of Technology · NIH-11312687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project builds lab tools to map how gut bacteria interact with each other and with human cells, aiming to enable targeted changes that could help people with gut-related conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Georgia Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2024 |
| Project end | March 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $370,744 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM153457-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11312687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal contributors would be people willing to provide stool or tissue samples—particularly adults with gut conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, or related metabolic disorders.
✕Less likely to help
People without gut-related conditions or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic laboratory research.
What this research studies
Researchers will work to 'domesticate' more gut bacteria by learning how to grow strains that currently won't grow in lab conditions so they can be studied. They will create a universal toolkit of methods to systematically map interactions between different microbes and between microbes and human cells. Over five years the team aims to domesticate an additional 2–5% of gut microbes and apply these tools across many species to build detailed interaction maps. Those maps are intended to show which microbes drive beneficial or harmful effects and how the microbiome could be changed on purpose.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could enable precise microbiome-based therapies to restore healthy gut function and treat conditions like inflammatory bowel disease, infections, or metabolic problems.
How similar studies have gone: Researchers have begun to culture previously uncultured gut microbes and map some interactions, but a universal toolkit and true prescriptive control of the microbiome remains largely novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Corey J. — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Corey J.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
HIV reservoirs in the gut and how they reactivate when treatment stops
This grant explores how HIV hides in the gut and why it can come back when ART is paused, with the goal of guiding better cure strategies.
-
Mapping interactions in the human gut microbiome
This study is all about figuring out how different bacteria in your gut work together and with your body, so we can find new ways to help improve gut health for everyone.
-
Understanding how genetic elements affect gut bacteria diversity
This study is looking at how certain genetic elements in bacteria help them adapt and survive in our gut, specifically focusing on a type of bacteria called Bacteroides, to better understand how these changes affect the balance and health of our gut microbiome.
-
Gut microbes and blood signals in sepsis-related liver and kidney injury
This study tests whether gut microbes and blood markers differ in adults with sepsis who develop liver or kidney injury, compared with healthy volunteers.
-
Plant-based beverage effects on the gut microbiome in healthy adults
This study tests how drinking different plant-based beverages for two weeks affects the gut microbiome in healthy adults.
-
Inulin Prebiotic for Perimenopausal Women with Overweight or Obesity
This study tests whether 2 weeks of inulin can affect gut and vaginal microbes, heart health, and muscle health in perimenopausal women who are overweight or obese, using a crossover design.
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.