Vitamin B5 might help inflammatory bowel disease
Official title: Vitamin B5 regulation of inflammatory bowel disease
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11263271 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A scientist is studying how Vitamin B5 found in food and gut bacteria could influence inflammatory bowel disease by supporting immune cells in the gut.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | May 15, 2026 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $678,232 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK145439-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11263271 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with inflammatory bowel disease or those at risk, who could contribute samples or participate in future trials, may benefit.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without IBD or those unable to participate in sample collection or clinical follow-up may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) is processed in the body and how it affects intestinal inflammation and the immune system, especially Foxp3+ regulatory T cells. The team will measure Vitamin B5 levels, enzymes that convert it to CoA, and signals in gut tissue and blood, then relate them to disease activity in IBD models or patient samples. They will test how Vitamin B5 supplementation changes intestinal barrier function and inflammatory markers to understand if it could help patients with IBD. The research combines lab studies with analyses of human samples to connect basic biology to potential therapies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to dietary or supplement strategies that support gut barrier health and reduce inflammation in IBD.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier data suggest VitB5 deficiency in IBD and potential barrier repair with supplementation, but the exact mechanism in humans remains to be proven.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cong, Yingzi — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Cong, Yingzi
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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.