Restoring small-intestine bile acids to prevent antibiotic-related gut imbalance
Official title: Alleviating antibiotic-induced gut dysbiosis by restoring small intestinal bile acid metabolism
Funded at Brown University · NIH-11229642 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will try restoring how the small intestine handles bile acids to help protect gut bacteria in people taking antibiotics like amoxicillin.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brown University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | November 8, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $199,375 |
| NIH project number | 5R21AI183146-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11229642 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be people who are taking or scheduled to take broad-spectrum antibiotics such as amoxicillin and are willing to provide samples or attend study visits.
✕Less likely to help
People not exposed to antibiotics or whose gut problems are caused by other conditions (for example, chronic inflammatory bowel disease unrelated to recent antibiotics) may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
Antibiotics can upset the mix of helpful bacteria in the gut, causing short- and long-term problems. This project focuses on bile acids made by the body in the small intestine, which help shape which microbes survive farther down in the gut. The team will measure how antibiotics change small-intestine bile acid processing and microbiome composition and test ways to restore normal bile acid metabolism using lab models and clinical samples. Their work aims to find approaches that could be given alongside antibiotics to keep the gut microbiome balanced.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce antibiotic-related gut disturbances and lower the risk of complications from microbiome disruption.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown antibiotics disrupt fecal microbiota and some bile-acid–based approaches look promising in early lab or animal work, but targeting small-intestine bile acid metabolism in humans is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Brown University
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Belenky, Peter — Brown University
- Study coordinator: Belenky, Peter
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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.