Understanding how certain bacteria cause diarrhea and gut inflammation in children
Official title: Mechanisms underlying diarrhea and gut inflammation mediated by Enterotoxigenic and Enteropathogenic E. coli
Funded at Indian Institute of Science · NIH-10909970 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how a type of bacteria called ETEC causes diarrhea and gut problems in young children, with the hope of finding new treatments to help them feel better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indian Institute of Science NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bangalore, India) |
| Project start | August 18, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $120,362 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI169618-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-10909970 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children under the age of five who are experiencing moderate to severe diarrhea due to ETEC infections.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are older than five years or those with diarrhea caused by non-bacterial infections may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the mechanisms by which enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) leads to diarrhea and gut inflammation, particularly in children under five years old. The study focuses on how these bacteria produce toxins that affect gut function and contribute to severe diarrhea, which is a major health issue in developing countries. By using a pre-clinical model involving genetically modified mice, the researchers aim to uncover the underlying biological processes and identify potential therapeutic targets. The ultimate goal is to develop effective treatments for children suffering from these infections.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new therapies that effectively treat diarrhea caused by ETEC in children, reducing morbidity and mortality.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promising results in understanding bacterial infections and their effects on gut health, but this specific approach using ETEC and its mechanisms is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Indian Institute of Science
Bangalore, India Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Visweswariah, Sandhya — Indian Institute of Science
- Study coordinator: Visweswariah, Sandhya
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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PediCODE: A Biorepository and Consortium for CoDE - Congenital Diarrhea and Enteropathy
A nationwide effort to collect clinical data and patient-derived samples to uncover the genetic causes of congenital diarrhea and enteropathy and to build a resource that helps researchers study these diseases.
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PediCODE Consortium and Biobank for Congenital Diarrhea and Enteropathy
Creating a multi-center team and biobank to find genetic causes of congenital diarrhea and enteropathy in children and collect samples that can help future research.
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Mobile health tool to guide dehydration care for acute diarrhea across all ages
A mobile app uses AI to help people of all ages determine dehydration risk during acute diarrhea and guide rehydration decisions.
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Understanding how certain gut bacteria cause diarrhea in children and how it works in the gut lining
This project looks at how infections from ETEC and EPEC bacteria cause diarrhea, especially in children, and uses a mouse model and human-derived gut cell systems to uncover the underlying mechanisms.
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Targeting a gut transporter to help relieve constipation in CF and older adults
Aimed at helping people with cystic fibrosis and older adults who have chronic constipation by studying a gut transporter to improve intestinal fluid balance.
-
Targeting gut drug processing to prevent diarrhea from mycophenolate
This project tests whether using natural gut-acting compounds to boost a specific drug-clearing pathway in the lower intestine can reduce diarrhea caused by the transplant drug mycophenolate in people who take it.
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.