Understanding how certain gut bacteria cause diarrhea in children and how it works in the gut lining
Official title: Mechanisms underlying diarrhea and gut inflammation mediated by Enterotoxigenic and Enteropathogenic E. coli
Funded at Indian Institute of Science · NIH-11389289 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indian Institute of Science NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bengaluru, India) |
| Project start | August 18, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $119,996 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI169618-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389289 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with or at risk for enterotoxigenic or enteropathogenic E. coli–related diarrhea, and individuals who could benefit from future targeted therapies based on gut signaling pathways.
✕Less likely to help
People without diarrheal disease or exposure to these specific bacterial infections may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Diarrheal diseases from ETEC and EPEC bacteria are a major cause of illness in children and can affect travelers and military personnel. The work focuses on how the ST toxin triggers cGMP signaling in gut cells, using a transgenic mouse model with high gut cGMP and engineered human cell lines and organoids. Researchers will study Paneth cell changes at the molecular level, the role of Stat1 in gut inflammation, and how gut-associated lymphoid tissue develops during cGMP-driven diarrhea. The aims include elucidating cellular pathways and evaluating how these pathways contribute to vulnerable gut environments during prolonged diarrhea episodes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: A clearer picture of the cellular processes behind toxin-induced diarrhea could guide new treatments or prevention strategies for affected children and others at risk.
How similar studies have gone: Existing models and prior work have shown that gut cGMP signaling and Paneth cell function influence diarrhea, with potential for translational follow-up.
Where this research is happening
-
Indian Institute of Science
Bengaluru, India Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Visweswariah, Sandhya — Indian Institute of Science
- Study coordinator: Visweswariah, Sandhya
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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.