Mapping and controlling interactions in the human gut microbiome
Domesticating and Mapping Interactions of the Human Gastrointestinal Microbiome
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 ID | NIH-11312687 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: 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.
Not a fit: People without gut-related conditions or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to see direct benefits from this basic laboratory research.
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 performed: 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
Atlanta, United States
- Georgia Institute of Technology — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Corey J. — Georgia Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Corey J.
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 below.