Understanding Goblet Cells and Gut Health
Goblet Cells in Intestinal Homeostasis
This research explores how special cells in your gut, called goblet cells, help your immune system decide when to be calm and when to fight off germs.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124784 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Your gut contains the body's largest collection of immune cells, constantly monitoring food and trillions of microbes. Normally, the gut immune system is tolerant, meaning it doesn't overreact to everyday substances. However, it also needs to be able to switch to an inflammatory response when there's an infection. This project aims to understand how the gut makes this critical switch, focusing on how goblet cells and the delivery of substances from the gut's contents influence immune responses. By understanding this process, we hope to learn more about how the gut stays healthy and how diseases like inflammatory bowel conditions might develop.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational laboratory research does not directly involve patient participation at this stage.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment or direct clinical intervention would not benefit from this basic science research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Understanding how the gut immune system switches between tolerance and inflammation could lead to new ways to treat intestinal inflammatory diseases or infections.
How similar studies have performed: This work builds on previous findings about goblet cells, aiming to fill a significant gap in understanding how the gut immune system shifts between tolerance and immunity.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Newberry, Rodney D — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Newberry, Rodney D
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 below.