Understanding how malnutrition affects bile acid production
Official title: The metabolic basis for impaired bile acid synthesis in malnutrition
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11098567 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores why severe malnutrition in children prevents the body from making enough bile acids, which are crucial for absorbing nutrients and growing.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $418,847 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK133301-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11098567 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
This research focuses on understanding the underlying mechanisms of malnutrition, particularly in young children (0-11 years old) who experience severe forms of the condition.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose conditions are not related to severe malnutrition or impaired bile acid synthesis would not directly benefit from this specific research.
What this research studies
Malnutrition in children can lead to serious health problems, including issues with blood clotting. This happens because the liver struggles to produce important substances like bile acids, which are essential for absorbing nutrients and also play a role in how the body makes clotting factors. This project uses models to understand why malnutrition specifically reduces the production of a key enzyme needed for bile acid creation. Researchers believe it might be due to a lack of a molecule called heme, which is vital for this enzyme to work properly. They are also looking into why heme production itself is impaired, possibly due to deficiencies in certain amino acids from the diet.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to treat severe malnutrition and prevent related complications like blood clotting issues in children.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds on the researchers' own preliminary data and published findings, suggesting a novel approach to understanding the metabolic basis of malnutrition-induced complications.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Preidis, Geoffrey a — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Preidis, Geoffrey a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Azithromycin added to standard care for kids with severe malnutrition in Africa
This project tests whether giving azithromycin as an extra antibiotic to young children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition improves weight gain and recovery compared with amoxicillin or placebo.
-
Gut-Liver-Bone clues to growth problems in malnourished children
A study in malnourished children and a mouse model looks at how the gut, liver, and bone interact to cause growth faltering and tests a bile-acid therapy that could improve growth and reduce inflammation.
-
Azithromycin adjunct in kids with severe malnutrition in Africa
A randomized trial will compare azithromycin, amoxicillin, and placebo as adjunctive antibiotics for children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition to see which supports better weight gain and recovery.
-
Digital tools to fight adolescent malnutrition in schools (low-resource settings)
A school-based mobile health approach helps younger adolescents in low-resource areas improve nutrition and health behaviors.
-
How caregiver mental health affects recovery from severe malnutrition in young children
This project will track caregivers' depression and anxiety while their children get treatment for severe acute malnutrition to learn how caregiver mental health relates to child recovery and relapse.
-
Preventing Growth Problems in Poor Children by Treating Small Intestine Bacteria
A phase II effort in urban Bangladesh tests a treatment plan to stop growth failure and malnutrition in young children by addressing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
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.