# The Microbiome and Metabolism in Postnatal Growth Failure

> **NIH NIH K23** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $185,775

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) is to provide Dr.
Noelle Younge with the mentorship, training, and research experience necessary to become an independent
physician-scientist and leader in understanding the preterm infant microbiome and its impact on early life
growth failure. To facilitate her transition to independence, Dr. Younge and her mentors have developed a
comprehensive research and career development plan that includes mentorship from an exceptional team of
scientists with proven track records of successful mentorship and extensive expertise in microbial regulation of
host metabolism and physiology; intensive didactic training; and a research plan that is purposefully designed
to provide experiential learning in advanced research methods to study the microbiome and metabolome of
preterm infants. Postnatal growth failure is a pervasive problem among preterm infants that is often refractory
to modern nutritional management and portends poor long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes. Novel
approaches to reduce the burden of early life growth failure are needed to improve the health and
developmental outcomes of preterm infants. Recent work from Dr. Younge and her mentors demonstrates that
extremely preterm infants with postnatal growth failure have disrupted maturation of the intestinal microbiota
and host metabolome. In the research plan outlined in this K23 proposal, Dr. Younge will expand upon this
work by 1) identifying metabolic functions of the microbiome that differentiate preterm infants with growth
failure from preterm infants with appropriate postnatal growth, and 2) investigating the nature of the
relationships between the microbiota, metabolism, and growth under controlled conditions in a gnotobiotic
mouse model. This work will produce novel insights into the pathogenesis of postnatal growth failure in preterm
infants and will serve as the foundation for Dr. Younge to build an independent research program conducting
clinical and preclinical studies directed toward improving the health and development of preterm infants. In
completing these aims, Dr. Younge will develop a unique and specialized skill set in the integration of multi-
omics data and translational research that will facilitate her transition to an independent research career.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10374853
- **Project number:** 5K23DK120960-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Noelle Elizabeth Younge
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $185,775
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2024-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10374853

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10374853, The Microbiome and Metabolism in Postnatal Growth Failure (5K23DK120960-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10374853. Licensed CC0.

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