Understanding how gut bacteria shape our immune T cells
Official title: Decode and design T cell induction by a complex gut microbial community
Funded at Harvard University · NIH-11386652 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant explores how complex gut bacteria influence our immune T cells, with the goal of guiding new treatments for autoimmune diseases and other conditions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | July 11, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $248,999 |
| NIH project number | 5R00AI173524-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11386652 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be individuals with autoimmune diseases or at-risk patients, who may benefit from future microbiome-guided therapies, later translated from these animal-model findings.
✕Less likely to help
People without autoimmune conditions or those unlikely to respond to microbiome-based approaches may not benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will study how a diverse gut microbial community affects human-like immune responses by introducing a defined set of bacteria into germ-free mice and examining which T cell responses are triggered. The project aims to map which bacteria-reactive T cell receptors are formed and how these responses could be steered to reduce autoimmune inflammation. The findings could inform the design of gut-based therapies that modulate the immune system with precision and fewer side effects. This work is foundational and will involve advanced microbiology, immunology, and sequencing to connect specific microbes with immune outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the research could lead to new microbiome-based strategies to treat autoimmune diseases with targeted immune modulation.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that specific gut bacteria can influence immune cells, making this a promising but exploratory step toward therapeutic development.
Where this research is happening
-
Harvard University
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nagashima, Kazuki — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Nagashima, Kazuki
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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.