# DartCF: The Dartmouth Cystic Fibrosis Research Center

> **NIH NIH P30** · DARTMOUTH COLLEGE · 2021 · $1,208,158

## Abstract

In cystic fibrosis (CF), mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) unleash a
cascade of clinical disorders, including chronic airway infections, systemic inflammation, microbial virulence,
diabetes, malnutrition and liver disease. Great progress has been made in some areas of disease, and CFTR
modulators provide dramatic benefits to some patients. Still, there is growing evidence of the interconnections
among lung and gut dysbiosis and CF pathogenesis. As patients live longer, formerly rare symptoms are
becoming more common. Thus, there is a pressing need to both understand and systematically treat the
functional relationships between CFTR function, commensal and pathogenic microbes, metabolic states, and
innate and acquired immune responses. Dartmouth has an interactive CF research team of 49 faculty members
with extramural funding of $11.1M/year, studying epithelial biology, CFTR correction, host-microbe interactions,
gut dysbiosis and immunity, as well as airway infections and antimicrobial strategies. The Dartmouth CF
Research Center (DartCF) will build on progress made in the past year. We will deploy P30 and institutional
funds to recruit new CF faculty, strengthen our research base, and foster interdisciplinary discovery. Our aims
are: 1) to catalyze new research in CF basic and translational research in areas of interest to NIDDK; 2) to
develop integrative strategies to understand and address CF pathobiology; 3) to create new research tools and
support CF research through outstanding shared services; and 4) to build research capacity in CF locally,
regionally, and nationally. We will focus P30 resources on 1) pioneering transparency and interoperability for CF
datasets, 2) forging collaborations between CF and data-science researchers to mine these datasets for
systems-level perspectives and 3) building on unique Dartmouth longitudinal patient cohorts to explore microbial
community structure in the gut, host-microbe signaling, the effects of existing therapies, and implications for
whole-body disease. A key theme is that dysbioses are interconnected, and that parallel investigations, coupled
by powerful new data-science strategies can understand this complex underlying biology and reveal new
therapeutic approaches. In parallel, we will leverage our research base to support early-stage preclinical target
development. DartCF supports a variety of mechanisms. First, we fund a Pilot Project Project (P3) to develop
new scientific opportunities in NIDDK-revelant areas and to recruit new faculty members to the Center. Second,
we fund three scientific cores to support studies in CF: a Gastrointestinal Biology Core (GIBC), a Clinical and
Translational Research Core (CTRC), and a CF Bioinformatics & Biostatistics Core (CF-BBC). Finally, we
support an Enrichment and Research Administration Core (ERAC) to foster an interactive scientific community,
sponsor retreats and courses, and track program progress. These effor...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10240591
- **Project number:** 5P30DK117469-04
- **Recipient organization:** DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
- **Principal Investigator:** DEAN R MADDEN
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $1,208,158
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10240591

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10240591, DartCF: The Dartmouth Cystic Fibrosis Research Center (5P30DK117469-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10240591. Licensed CC0.

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