# Age-Related Dysbiosis and Physical Resilience

> **NIH NIH R56** · UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM · 2020 · $575,008

## Abstract

This proposal is submitted in response to RFA-AG-20-030 “Microbiome and Aging: Impact on Health and
Disease.” The project addresses this RFA by evaluating for the first time the impact of the gut microbiome on
physical resilience in mice. Leveraging a multidisciplinary team with extensive experience in both the gut
microbiome and aging science, we will address the following specific aims: 1) Determine the extent to which
the gut microbiome is connected to age-related declines in physical resilience, 2) Isolate the effects of the aged
gut microbiota on resilience responses, and 3) Determine the impact of physical exercise, dietary fiber, and
their combination, and associated changes in the microbiome and SCFA functional capacity, on physical
resilience in older animals. Resilience will be defined by recovery in physical function, evidenced by a
composite set of function measures, and we will also evaluate relationships of the microbiome to purported
biologic mediators including insulin sensitivity, gut barrier function, body composition, as well as local gut and
systemic inflammation. ANTICIPATED IMPACT: This project will address the Geroscience concept of physical
resilience by providing the first data relating resilience to the gut microbiome. This project capitalizes on a
history of work by our group and is driven by a conceptual model which posits that age-related changes in gut
microbiota drive changes in organism immune function and energy utilization, ultimately contributing to
inflammation and body composition changes that impair organismal ability to recover physical function after
physiologic challenge. Ultimately this project leverages recent understanding of the importance of the gut
microbiome to health and disease and is designed to provide a substantial step toward our long-term goal of
advancing understanding of physical resilience to ultimately devise strategies for improving resilience in mid- to
late-life.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10229304
- **Project number:** 1R56AG068747-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM
- **Principal Investigator:** Michael T Bailey
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $575,008
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2022-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10229304

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10229304, Age-Related Dysbiosis and Physical Resilience (1R56AG068747-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10229304. Licensed CC0.

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