Mapping viruses along the mouth–gut–brain connection
Human Virome Characterization Center for the Oral-Gut-Brain Axis
This effort will map the viruses living in the mouth, gut, and related tissues across ages and populations to learn how they affect health.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11261063 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This center will collect saliva, stool, and other body samples from people of different ages and backgrounds to catalog the viruses that live in the mouth, gut, and nearby tissues. Scientists will use advanced sequencing and computational tools to identify known and previously unknown viruses and compare viral patterns in healthy people and those with illnesses. The project will build shared data resources so researchers worldwide can search for viral changes linked to infections, brain or behavioral conditions, and other health problems. If you're willing, you may be invited to provide samples or join related research that follows from these findings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants include people of all ages and backgrounds—both healthy volunteers and patients with infections, neurological, or behavioral conditions—who can provide biological samples.
Not a fit: People who cannot provide samples, do not live in reachable locations, or are not part of the recruited demographics may not directly benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could improve detection of harmful viruses, reveal viral links to brain and gut conditions, and guide better diagnostics and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Large efforts like the Human Microbiome Project successfully mapped bacterial communities, but comprehensive, multi-site mapping of the human virome is newer and less established.
Where this research is happening
Los Angeles, United States
- University of California Los Angeles — Los Angeles, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kapila, Yvonne L — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Kapila, Yvonne L
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.