Understanding how CFTR affects fat absorption in the small intestine
Official title: Deciphering the role of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Receptor (CFTR) in dietary fatty acid transport in the small intestine
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11411468 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant study looks at why people with cystic fibrosis have trouble absorbing fat in the gut and how this may affect nutrition and health from infancy onward.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $797,871 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK143623-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11411468 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Children with cystic fibrosis or those at risk of CF-related intestinal malabsorption, including infants and young children who could participate in future translational studies or receive tailored nutritional interventions.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without CF or without intestinal fat absorption issues may not benefit from the specific intestinal-focused interventions studied here.
What this research studies
Cystic fibrosis is often seen as a lung disease, but early in life it also causes intestinal problems that can lead to malnutrition. The research uses a new surgical model and patient-derived intestinal organoids to study how CFTR dysfunction disrupts fat uptake and fat-carrying particles in the gut. They will test diets and CFTR-modulating therapies in advanced models that mimic human fat absorption. Findings could reveal how to improve nutrition and outcomes for CF patients, especially in early life, by addressing intestinal fat absorption.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could improve early-life nutrition and reduce malabsorption in CF patients by guiding dietary strategies and modulators that act on the intestine.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using organoids and animal models has shown CFTR-related fat absorption defects can be modulated, supporting translational potential for human trials.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kohan, Alison Bloom — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Kohan, Alison Bloom
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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.