Preventing Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis
Mechanistic human studies to prevent Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis
This work aims to find ways to prevent and treat life-threatening bowel inflammation in children with Hirschsprung disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hosp of Philadelphia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11251963 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
We will study children with Hirschsprung disease to understand why some develop severe enterocolitis (HAEC) before or after surgery while others remain well. The team will collect clinical information and human samples such as bowel tissue and stool, and use imaging and laboratory tests to look at nerve cells, blood flow, immune responses, and gut bacteria. By comparing children with and without HAEC, researchers hope to identify markers and biological steps that lead to inflammation and infection. Those findings could point to new tests or treatments to stop HAEC and reduce the risk of sepsis.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children with Hirschsprung disease, especially those who have had or are planning pull-through surgery, would be the ideal candidates to participate.
Not a fit: People without Hirschsprung disease or adults with unrelated bowel conditions would not directly benefit from this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to ways to identify children at high risk for HAEC and new treatments or prevention strategies to reduce severe infections and repeat surgeries.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have suggested roles for the gut microbiome and immune changes in HAEC, but human-focused mechanistic work is limited, so this approach is relatively novel and promising.
Where this research is happening
Philadelphia, United States
- Children's Hosp of Philadelphia — Philadelphia, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Heuckeroth, Robert O — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Heuckeroth, Robert O
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.