Understanding Viruses in Our Gut
COMPUTATIONAL FRAMEWORKS FOR PHAGE DISCOVERY, ECOLOGY, AND DYNAMICS FROM METAGENOMES
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON · NIH-11114036
This project creates new computer tools to help us learn more about the tiny viruses, called bacteriophages, that live in the human body and affect our health.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (MADISON, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11114036 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
Our bodies are home to many microorganisms and viruses, especially in the gut, which play a big role in our health. Many of these viruses, called bacteriophages, are hard to study in a lab. This project is building advanced computer programs and databases to better understand these bacteriophages directly from genetic samples. These tools will help scientists discover new phages, understand how they interact with bacteria and our bodies, and see how they change over time. The goal is to provide open-access resources for researchers worldwide to explore how these viruses impact human health.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients interested in the underlying causes of microbiome-related health conditions may find this foundational research relevant to future clinical applications.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or direct clinical interventions will not find direct benefit from this computational tool development project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a deeper understanding of how viruses in our body influence health and disease, potentially opening doors for new treatments for microbiome-related conditions.
How similar studies have performed: This project focuses on developing novel algorithms and software, addressing a current gap in high-quality bioinformatics tools for studying bacteriophages from metagenomic data.
Where this research is happening
MADISON, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON — MADISON, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: ANANTHARAMAN, KARTHIK — UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
- Study coordinator: ANANTHARAMAN, KARTHIK
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.