Reducing harmful blood fats with a small sugar from human milk
Official title: Reducing Remnant Cholesterol and Managing Dyslipidemia with Human Milk Oligosaccharides
Funded at Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · NIH-11450156 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant explores whether a human milk sugar called 3’SL can lower remnant cholesterol and inflammation to reduce heart disease risk in people with atherosclerosis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Salt Lake City, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | April 30, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $650,974 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HL181076-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11450156 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with a history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or at high risk due to dyslipidemia who are able to participate in dietary or metabolic studies.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without dyslipidemia or those unable to participate in dietary/metabolic studies may not benefit.
What this research studies
If funded, researchers will test whether 3’SL helps the body clear triglyceride-rich lipids faster by improving gut and liver function and reducing intestinal inflammation. The project builds on early results suggesting 3’SL lowers harmful lipids and limits pathways that trigger inflammation. Researchers will study how this sugar affects liver receptors and immune signals to support better cholesterol clearance after meals. The work aims to translate these findings toward new dietary or pharmaceutical options for patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from a new approach to lowering residual cardiovascular risk beyond standard statin therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data in early studies suggest 3’SL can lower remnant cholesterol and improve gut-liver interactions, but results in humans are still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
Salt Lake City, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gordts, Philip — Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah
- Study coordinator: Gordts, Philip
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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.