Project Grant R01DK144748

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded the University of California, Davis $739,895 on September 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to investigate neonatal development of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

The research addresses how bacterial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract, formation of the GI mucosal barrier, and neurogenesis during early life establish a critical developmental window whereby neonatal infection and inflammation can produce lasting dysbiosis, mucosal barrier defects, and behavioral changes. The project employs a mouse model of neonatal infection with enteropathogenic E. coli to determine the mechanisms by which infection-induced GI inflammation disrupts serotonin signaling through the vagus nerve, impairs the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis set-point via altered neuroimmune communication between innate immune cells and the enteric nervous system, and leads to persistent behavioral impairment in adulthood. Understanding these mechanisms addresses gaps in knowledge about how neonatal disruptions of microbiota-gut-brain axis signaling persist into adulthood and contribute to diseases of gut-brain interaction, including irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.

Performance occurs in Davis, California. The period of performance runs through May 31, 2030. The award is classified as a project grant.