Understanding why bile acid production falters in malnutrition
Official title: The metabolic basis for impaired bile acid synthesis in malnutrition
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11370173 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project explores why severe malnutrition in children disrupts the liver’s production of bile acids and how that harms growth and health.
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 | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $418,847 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK133301-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11370173 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals with or at risk of severe malnutrition-related health issues (primarily children) who could benefit from future translational applications.
✕Less likely to help
Healthy individuals or those without malnutrition are unlikely to benefit from this research.
What this research studies
Researchers use a mouse model of early postnatal malnutrition to uncover why the brain- and liver-related pathways that rely on bile acids are impaired. They focus on the enzyme CYP7A1, heme availability, and iron-sulfur clusters to see how malnutrition blocks bile acid synthesis and contributes to coagulopathy. The goal is to identify actionable points that could improve nutrient absorption and growth in malnourished children. Results could point to new strategies to prevent organ dysfunction and mortality in severe malnutrition.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Better understanding of how malnutrition disrupts liver function could lead to targeted therapies or dietary approaches that reduce illness and death in malnourished children.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work in mouse models has linked reduced bile acid synthesis to poor FXR signaling and coagulation issues, with emerging data suggesting heme restoration can boost bile acid production.
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
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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.