Award
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases 5R21AI193492-02
Engineered Microbes to Mitigate Intestinal Radiation Damage
Recipient
Baylor College of Medicine
Award Amount
$160,125.00
Ceiling
$160,125.00
Awarded
July 29, 2026
Identifier
5R21AI193492-02
This NIH-funded project at Baylor College of Medicine focuses on engineering microbes to mitigate intestinal damage caused by radiation exposure. The research evaluates genetically modified Limosilactobacillus reuteri to promote intestinal stem cell recovery after radiation, aiming to develop medical countermeasures for acute radiation syndrome in the gastrointestinal tract.
Description
The project aims to develop a microbial platform for mitigating gastrointestinal acute radiation syndrome (GI-ARS) by leveraging engineered Limosilactobacillus reuteri 6475 to deliver growth factors that promote survival and proliferation of radioresistant intestinal stem cells. The objective is to assess the efficacy of the genetically modified organism in rodent models to accelerate recovery from GI-ARS, supporting development as a medical countermeasure for nuclear incidents.