Understanding How Gut Bacteria Affect Health and Disease
National Gnotobiotic Resource Center
This work helps scientists explore how the bacteria living in our gut influence many chronic conditions like heart disease and autism.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11135544 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Our bodies are home to trillions of tiny bacteria, known as microbiota, which play a big role in our health. When these bacteria are out of balance, it can contribute to various diseases, including inflammatory conditions, metabolic disorders, certain cancers, and even behavioral issues like autism. This resource provides special animal models that allow scientists to carefully study how specific bacteria interact with the body and cause or prevent these conditions. By understanding these connections, we hope to find new ways to help people with these diseases.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This resource supports research relevant to patients with conditions like atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, autism, inflammatory bowel disease, and many other chronic illnesses linked to gut bacteria.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate direct treatment or clinical trial participation will not find a direct benefit from this foundational resource grant.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this foundational work could lead to new treatments or prevention strategies for a wide range of chronic diseases by targeting the gut microbiome.
How similar studies have performed: While this is a resource center, the field of microbiome research has seen significant success in linking gut bacteria to various health outcomes, making this a crucial tool for further discoveries.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Sartor, Ryan B — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Sartor, Ryan B
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 below.