# The Role of Ceramides in the Intestinal Stem Cell

> **NIH NIH R01** · UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · 2021 · $512,080

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Exposing cells to excessive amounts of lipid and other nutrients promotes the accumulation of sphingolipids such
as ceramides, which alter tissue metabolism to help cells adapt to the abundance of excessive, detergent-like
fatty acids (Chaurasia et al., Science, 2019). Studies described herein reveal that ceramides play particularly
prominent roles in the gastrointestinal tract, where they increase fatty acid uptake into intestinal stem cells to
promote regeneration of the intestinal epithelium. Using organoid, fly, and mouse models, we will dissect the
mechanisms linking these sphingolipids to the control of intestinal stem cell metabolism, proliferation, and
differentiation. Moreover, we will explore the contribution of sphingolipids as signals of lipid excess that drive
gastrointestinal tumorigenesis and invasiveness. Findings obtained from these studies could uncover new
nutrient-sensing machinery that modulates intestinal stem cell proliferation and leads to new pharmacological
approaches for manipulating sphingolipids to improve gut health.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10380338
- **Project number:** 1R01DK131609-01
- **Recipient organization:** UTAH STATE HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM--UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
- **Principal Investigator:** Bruce Alexander Edgar
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $512,080
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-23 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10380338

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10380338, The Role of Ceramides in the Intestinal Stem Cell (1R01DK131609-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10380338. Licensed CC0.

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