Stopping precancerous stomach changes linked to H. pylori

IMAGINE: Intestinal Metaplasia And Gastritis INtErception Study

['FUNDING_R01'] · DUKE UNIVERSITY · NIH-11258474

This project looks at how different H. pylori bacteria and a person’s immune response affect precancerous stomach changes in people with H. pylori infection or gastric intestinal metaplasia.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorDUKE UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (DURHAM, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11258474 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would be part of work that collects clinical information and stomach tissue or samples from people with H. pylori infection or gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM). Researchers will use molecular tests to compare H. pylori strain features (like CagA and antibiotic resistance genes) and measure how the immune system is reacting in the stomach. The team will link those bacterial and immune patterns to the kinds of mucosal changes seen on endoscopy and to later outcomes. The goal is to find markers that predict which patients need different treatments to better clear H. pylori and stop progression toward cancer.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults diagnosed with H. pylori infection or with gastric intestinal metaplasia identified on endoscopy would be the ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without H. pylori infection or whose stomach problems are due to other causes (for example, autoimmune gastritis or non-gastric conditions) are unlikely to get direct benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help tailor treatments to more reliably eradicate H. pylori and reduce the risk of progression to gastric cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows that H. pylori eradication can lower gastric cancer risk and that strain factors matter, but applying detailed molecular profiling for personalized eradication and cancer interception is a newer approach.

Where this research is happening

DURHAM, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.