Understanding how gut bacteria process food
Regulation of carbon utilization in gut-resident bacteria
This research explores how certain gut bacteria, linked to conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease, use different food sources and how that affects their presence in your gut.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Berkeley NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Berkeley, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11095859 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Your gut is home to a vast community of bacteria, and what you eat plays a big role in which bacteria thrive. This project aims to understand how specific gut bacteria, called Collinsella species, process the different food components you consume. We know these bacteria are connected to chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease. By studying how they regulate their food intake, we hope to learn why some bacteria become more abundant than others. This knowledge could help us understand how diet influences the gut microbiome and its impact on your health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational research does not involve direct patient participation at this time.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate treatment or diagnostic services will not directly benefit from this early-stage laboratory research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new strategies for managing gut bacteria through diet to help prevent or treat conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
How similar studies have performed: This project builds on preliminary findings about how certain gut bacteria regulate their food consumption, exploring a mechanism that is not yet fully understood in these specific species.
Where this research is happening
Berkeley, United States
- University of California Berkeley — Berkeley, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wolf, Ashley Robin — University of California Berkeley
- Study coordinator: Wolf, Ashley Robin
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.