Oral approach to strengthen gut defenses against infection and inflammation
Official title: Methods to modulate GI inflammatory and infectious diseases
Funded at University of Kansas Lawrence · NIH-11333189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An oral vaccine helper designed to activate gut immune cells to give people stronger protection from gastrointestinal infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kansas Lawrence NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lawrence, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2016 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $172,846 |
| NIH project number | 5P20GM113117-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People who suffer repeated or severe gastrointestinal infections or who are at high risk of exposure to gut pathogens would be the likely long-term beneficiaries.
✕Less likely to help
Those looking for immediate treatments for an active GI infection or people with unrelated non-infectious GI issues are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this preclinical work.
What this research studies
This project looks for a small-molecule ‘‘adjuvant’’ that can be given by mouth to specifically stimulate immune cells in the gut without causing chronic inflammation. Researchers will run lab screening tests to find compounds that trigger protective cytokines in immune cells but not in gut lining cells, then package the best candidate into polymer nanoparticles that survive the digestive tract. The work includes cell-based assays and animal-model testing to check safety, delivery, and immune response in the intestine. If those steps go well, the approach could move toward human testing in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce an oral adjuvant that makes vaccines and other therapies protect the gut better while reducing side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Related lab and animal studies of mucosal adjuvants and oral nanoparticles have shown promise, but effective oral adjuvants for human gut protection remain largely unproven.
Where this research is happening
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University of Kansas Lawrence
Lawrence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kim, Hyunjoon — University of Kansas Lawrence
- Study coordinator: Kim, Hyunjoon
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.