# Computational Characterization of Environmental Enteropathy

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2021 · $192,552

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Undernutrition afflicts 20% of children < 5 years of age in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and is a
major risk factor for mortality. Linear growth failure (or stunting) in children is tightly linked to irreversible
physical and cognitive deficits, with profound implications for development. A common cause of stunting in
LMICs is Environmental Enteropathy (EE) which has also been linked to decreased oral vaccine
immunogenicity. To date, there are no universally accepted, clear diagnostic algorithms or non-invasive
biomarkers for EE making this a critical priority. In this K23 Mentored Career Development Award application,
Dr. Sana Syed, a Pediatric Gastroenterologist with advanced training in Nutrition at the University of Virginia,
proposes to 1) Develop and validate a Deep Learning Net to identify morphological features of EE versus
celiac and healthy small intestinal tissue, 2) correlate the Deep Learning Net identified distinguishing EE
intestinal tissue findings with clinical phenotype, measures of gut barrier and absorption, and bile acid
deconjugation, and 3) Use a Deep Learning Net computational approach to identify distinguishing multiomic
patterns of EE versus celiac disease. This work will be carried out in the context of an ongoing birth cohort
study of environmental enteropathy in Pakistan (SEEM). Dr. Syed proposes a career development plan which
includes mentorship, fieldwork, coursework, publications, and clinical time that will situate her as an
independent physician-scientist with expertise in translational research employing computational `omics and
image approaches to elucidate biologic mechanisms of stunting pathways and in identification of novel and
effective therapies for EE.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10164762
- **Project number:** 5K23DK117061-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Sana Syed
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $192,552
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10164762

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10164762, Computational Characterization of Environmental Enteropathy (5K23DK117061-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10164762. Licensed CC0.

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