Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a $113,089.00 Project Grant award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847). The award, obligated on February 15, 2026, with a completion date of January 31, 2028, supports research investigating the role of enteroendocrine cells (EECs) in regulating intestinal barrier function and their contribution to gastrointestinal disease pathogenesis.

The research deliverables include scientific investigations utilizing EEC-deficient mouse models and human intestinal organoids to identify intestinal functions regulated by EECs and test individual EEC-derived hormone products on intestinal physiology. The project specifically examines the relationship between ceramide dysregulation and impaired intestinal barrier integrity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with preliminary findings indicating that EEC-deficient mice exhibit increased intestinal permeability and inflammatory markers when challenged with chemical inducers of colitis. Research outcomes will advance understanding of disease mechanisms underlying IBD and other metabolic and gastrointestinal disorders associated with EEC dysregulation, contributing to the NIDDK program's objective of improving prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of digestive diseases through extramural biomedical research.