Role of gut bacteria in shaping C. difficile infection
Official title: Defining the role of enterococci in reshaping Clostridioides difficile infection
Funded at Children's Hosp of Philadelphia · NIH-11381050 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to map how the gut microbiome and its metabolic environment influence Clostridioides difficile infection in people and how we might prevent or treat it.
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 start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $808,886 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI187174-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381050 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with or at risk for C. difficile infection, particularly those who have had antibiotic exposure or gut microbiome disruption, may benefit from insights derived from this research.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without CDI risk or without gut microbiome disruption are unlikely to be direct beneficiaries of the study findings.
What this research studies
This project looks at how the communities of bacteria in the gut interact with C. difficile during infection, beyond what we know from studying one organism at a time. It will use advanced imaging to reveal how microbial ecosystems and metabolic niches affect disease severity and responses to antibiotics. By understanding these interactions, researchers hope to identify new ways to prevent CDI or improve treatment in patients. The work is conducted at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, led by Dr. Joseph Paul Zackular, with a focus on translating findings toward better patient care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better prevention and treatment strategies for C. difficile infections by targeting the microbiome and metabolic environments in the gut.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research suggests that microbiome context and metabolic environments influence CDI outcomes, supporting potential translational relevance.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zackular, Joseph Paul — Children's Hosp of Philadelphia
- Study coordinator: Zackular, Joseph Paul
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how the immune system fights C. difficile to prevent recurrence
A new NIH grant is studying how the body’s own immune response to C. difficile infection might be boosted to prevent future outbreaks.
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Impact of gut bile acids on C. difficile infection in inflammatory bowel disease
This grant tests whether changes in gut microbes and their bile acids influence how likely people with inflammatory bowel disease are to get and how severe a C. difficile infection could be.
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Detailed genetic look at C. difficile and the gut microbiome in infection and relapse
Researchers will sequence C. difficile and gut bacteria from thousands of patient stool samples to find genetic and microbial patterns linked to severe or recurring infections.
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Multivalent vaccine to prevent C. difficile infection and recurrence
This project is developing a vaccine that teaches the immune system to neutralize C. difficile toxins and block the bacteria from coming back for people at risk of infection.
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Gut-targeted antibiotics for C. difficile infection
Developing gut-targeted antibiotics to kill C. difficile while keeping healthy gut bacteria for people with recurrent C. difficile infections.
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Technology-Driven Root-Cause Analysis and Clinical Enhancement for C. difficile Infections
A new digital platform uses hospital data to streamline how hospitals analyze and prevent hospital-acquired C. diff infections.
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.