Understanding How Gut Bacteria Control Inflammation
Metabolic Regulation of Inflammation by Microbial SCFA
This work explores how natural substances from gut bacteria might help heal the gut lining for people with inflammatory bowel diseases.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11168848 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affect millions of Americans and are often linked to changes in gut bacteria. This research looks at how certain substances made by these bacteria, called short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate, help maintain a healthy gut barrier and promote healing. We are developing and testing new versions of these substances, called butyrate mimetics, to see if they can improve gut health in IBD. The goal is to understand how these mimetics can strengthen the gut lining and help it recover from inflammation.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, who are interested in new approaches targeting gut bacteria and their products, could potentially benefit from future applications of this work.
Not a fit: Patients whose inflammatory conditions are not related to gut microbiome imbalances or mucosal barrier dysfunction may not directly benefit from this specific line of research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatments that use natural gut compounds to reduce inflammation and promote healing in inflammatory bowel diseases.
How similar studies have performed: The role of gut microbiota and their metabolites in IBD is an active area of research, with existing evidence suggesting their importance, making this approach a promising continuation of prior work.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Colgan, Sean P — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Colgan, Sean P
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.