Understanding Gut Health in Veterans with Deployment-Related GI and Liver Conditions
Official title: BCCMA: Targeting Gut-Microbiome in Veterans Deployment Related Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases: Dysbiosis, PTSD, and Epithelial and Immune Biology in Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Veterans
Funded at Veterans Health Administration · NIH-11132581 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores how the gut microbiome and PTSD might be connected to inflammatory bowel disease and other digestive issues in Veterans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Health Administration NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01CX002473-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11132581 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans experiencing deployment-related gastrointestinal and liver diseases, particularly those with inflammatory bowel disease and PTSD, are the focus of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not related to military deployment, PTSD, or gut microbiome imbalances may not directly benefit from this specific line of inquiry.
What this research studies
This project is part of a larger effort to understand how military service, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the gut microbiome affect digestive and liver health in Veterans. We are looking closely at how PTSD might lead to a higher chance of developing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other gut inflammation. Our goal is to fill the gap in knowledge about how the gut microbiome plays a role in these deployment-related health problems. This work involves a team of experts collaborating to understand these complex connections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to prevent or treat inflammatory bowel disease and other gut and liver conditions in Veterans by targeting the gut microbiome.
How similar studies have gone: While the importance of the gut microbiome in human diseases is emerging, systematic studies specifically focusing on deployment-related GI and liver diseases in Veterans are currently lacking, making this a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Health Administration
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wilson, Keith T. — Veterans Health Administration
- Study coordinator: Wilson, Keith T.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Gut health and PTSD in veterans with inflammatory bowel disease
A study explores how the gut microbiome and chronic stress from military experiences may influence inflammatory bowel disease in veterans.
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Investigating the gut microbiome's role in gastrointestinal and liver diseases in veterans with PTSD.
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Investigating the gut microbiome's role in liver disease and PTSD among US Veterans
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Gut microbiome, fiber, and short-chain fatty acids in Veterans with Gulf War Illness
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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.