Why obesity may protect people during sepsis
Official title: Obesity-mediated protection in sepsis
Funded at University of Kentucky · NIH-11332827 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are comparing immune responses and cell metabolism in obese and non-obese patients with sepsis to understand why obesity appears linked to better survival.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $380,742 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM152104-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11332827 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults hospitalized with sepsis, both with and without obesity, who can provide blood or tissue samples would be appropriate candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not have sepsis, pediatric patients if the work is limited to adults, or those unable or unwilling to provide samples may not be eligible or directly benefit.
What this research studies
If you have sepsis, the team wants to see how having obesity changes your immune system and how your cells use energy. They will compare blood and tissue samples from people with and without obesity and also use a validated mouse model to study underlying biology. The researchers will focus on immune cell function and metabolic shifts that might explain the protective effect. That information could point to new treatments that mimic the protective factors for all patients with sepsis.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new treatments that lower deaths and complications from sepsis by copying protective mechanisms seen in obesity.
How similar studies have gone: Clinical observations have repeatedly noted an 'obesity paradox' with better sepsis survival, but mechanistic studies are limited and this combined human-and-mouse approach is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Kentucky
Lexington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Starr, Marlene Elena — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Starr, Marlene Elena
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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How sepsis changes body fat in children and how obesity affects that
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How obesity may help protect against sepsis
This study is looking into how being overweight might actually help some people with sepsis, a serious illness, by understanding how it affects their immune system and metabolism, with the goal of finding new treatments to make sepsis safer for everyone.
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Understanding how fats in the body may help obese patients survive sepsis better
This study is looking into how being overweight might actually help people with sepsis, a serious infection, survive better, and it will check if certain fat levels in the body play a role in this, as well as how cholesterol-lowering medications might change things.
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Understanding how knee pain and knee obesity and muscle loss affect knee osteoarthritis
This project looks at how knee swelling, excess knee fat, and muscle loss relate to pain and structural changes in knee osteoarthritis in adults.
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Role of blood flow mechanics and transfusion in sepsis-related tiny-cl vessel clots
A patient-focused look at how red blood cell flow and transfusions might influence tiny blood vessel clots and organ problems in sepsis.
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.