Using cancer patients' gut microbes to design targeted microbiome therapies
The unleashed microbiome of cancer patients as a discovery platform for rational microbiome engineering
Researchers are mining detailed gut-microbe and health data from people with cancer to find microbes that could prevent infections or help treatments work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11135399 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project analyzes frequent stool samples and clinical data collected from cancer patients who experienced major immune changes during treatment. The team will build new machine-learning tools and a web interface to visualize the data and speed discovery of microbes linked to patient health. They will develop methods to identify gut microbes that outcompete common pathogens and study how common medications change the gut ecosystem. Findings will guide rational ways to engineer or restore beneficial microbes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with cancer undergoing intensive immune-altering treatments (for example high-dose chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant) who can provide stool samples and clinical records.
Not a fit: Healthy people and patients not receiving intensive cancer therapy are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this data-focused project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could lead to targeted microbiome-based approaches that lower infection risk and improve responses to cancer therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Prior research has linked gut microbes to treatment outcomes and shown benefits for some microbiome therapies, but this causal, data-driven discovery approach is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- New York University School of Medicine — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schluter, Jonas — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Schluter, Jonas
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.