Project Grant R15DK136098

The federal Project Grant award R15DK136098, "SEX DIFFERENCES IN HEDONIC FEEDING: THE ROLE OF THE GUT MICROBIOME," is funded by 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 $416,456 award to Furman University aims to characterize sex differences in the gut microbiome and their impact on hedonic feeding, or food intake driven by pleasure rather than physiological hunger. The project will investigate how disruption of the gut microbiome during adulthood or early life affects sex differences in hedonic feeding behaviors in male and female rats. Additionally, it will examine the influence of pregnancy and previous pregnancy on hedonic feeding in female rats. This research is expected to provide a better understanding of sex differences in obesity that could inform personalized microbiome-based interventions.