Understanding gut CD8+ T cells that respond to friendly bacteria
Official title: Building tools to study commensal-specific CD8+ T cells in the small intestine
Funded at Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason · NIH-11309660 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create new lab tools to better understand how certain immune cells in the small intestine respond to harmless gut bacteria, aiming to inform future treatments for gut inflammation.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2025 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $86,650 |
| NIH project number | 5R03AI190880-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309660 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inflammatory bowel disease or other gut barrier disorders are the most likely group to benefit from future studies or therapies informed by this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients seeking immediate clinical treatment or those with conditions unrelated to gut barrier immunity are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this basic lab-focused work.
What this research studies
The research team will build new genetically modified mouse models that let scientists label and follow CD8+ T cells in the small intestine that recognize commensal (friendly) bacteria. Using these tools they will track how those T cells form, where they travel, and how they interact with antibody-producing cells and the gut microbiota. Experiments will test whether these cells help keep microbes contained in the gut and protect barrier tissues from inflammation. Results are intended to reveal mechanisms that could guide new therapies for conditions like inflammatory bowel disease.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal immune mechanisms that lead to new ways to prevent or treat gut barrier inflammation such as inflammatory bowel disease.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal studies have shown that commensal-specific T cells influence gut health, but developing new transgenic tools to specifically track small-intestine CD8+ responses is a relatively novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Harrison, Oliver James — Benaroya Research Inst at Virginia Mason
- Study coordinator: Harrison, Oliver James
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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.