Toward personalized care for pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis using multimodal biomarkers
Official title: Towards Multi-modal Biomarker and Personalized Medicine: Integrating Esophageal Biochemical, Structural, and Molecular Alterations in Pediatric Eosinophilic Esophagitis
Funded at Vanderbilt University Medical Center · NIH-11365332 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pediatric-focused study will combine biochemical, structural, and molecular signals from the esophagus to better tailor treatment for kids with eosinophilic esophagitis.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $668,544 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK144385-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11365332 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children aged 0-11 with diagnosed eosinophilic esophagitis or at risk for the condition, under pediatric care at participating centers.
✕Less likely to help
Children without EoE or those outside the pediatric age range are unlikely to benefit from this specific study.
What this research studies
This project aims to fuse multiple types of esophageal data—biochemical markers, tissue structure, and molecular clues—into a single framework that can identify disease activity and guide personalized therapy for children with EoE. The team will build on prior work using advanced imaging and spectroscopy techniques to distinguish active from inactive disease and to predict which kids are at higher risk for fibrosis. By integrating these multimodal signals, the study seeks to improve accuracy beyond current clinical, endoscopic, and histological measures. The effort is centered on pediatric patients and seeks to translate findings into better, more targeted care that reduces symptoms and complications.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could enable more precise, personalized treatment plans for children with EoE, potentially reducing symptoms and fibrotic progression.
How similar studies have gone: Previous multimodal imaging and spectroscopy work in EoE showed promise in distinguishing disease activity, suggesting potential for improved classification when combined.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hiremath, Girish — Vanderbilt University Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hiremath, Girish
Related research
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A research project aims to understand how certain proteins protect or restore the esophageal lining in children with eosinophilic esophagitis and how this could lead to better long-lasting therapies.
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This project looks at how genetic differences may make some people with allergies more likely to develop eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE).
-
Mitochondria and IL-13 in eosinophilic esophagitis
A study exploring how immune signals and mitochondria interact in eosinophilic esophagitis to find new biomarkers and targets for treatment.
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.