# Causes and consequences of interpersonal microbial variation

> **NIH NIH R35** · YALE UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $206,732

## Abstract

Summary
The purpose of this proposal is to provide equipment support to our currently funded NIGMS
(R35GM118159) research project. Despite the possibility that the gut microbiome may represent a
critical and readily modifiable component of human biology, the contribution of the gut microbiota to
health, disease risk, and response to therapy remains largely undefined. The overall goal of the
parent grant is to understand the principles, mechanisms, and processes that shape the interaction
between gut microbial communities and their hosts. Our strategy is to combine anaerobic microbial
genetics and high-throughput mass spectrometry with gnotobiotic (germfree and ex-germfree) mouse
models to dissect these interactions. Gnotobiotic mice are the central experimental system that we're
using to conduct these studies. These animals, which are maintained in sterile flexible plastic
isolators or individually ventilated cages, lack any bacteria or other microbes. They can then be
compared to conventional animals that carry a normal microbiome, or colonized with individual
bacterial species, mutants of these species, or otherwise engineered strains in which gene
expression can be precisely controlled. Although we have made significant progress in the project (12
papers supported by GM118159), the main limitation is our restricted access to the steam sterilizer
(autoclave) equipment that is used to prepare every experiment. This limitation also reduces our
ability to engage in collaborations with multiple NIGMS-funded researchers at the university who
provide letters of support for this application. For these reasons, we request funds to partially support
the purchase of a steam sterilizer for gnotobiotics. The cost of this project is also being significantly
supported by the university.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10388949
- **Project number:** 3R35GM118159-06S1
- **Recipient organization:** YALE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Andrew L Goodman
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $206,732
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-06-10 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10388949

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10388949, Causes and consequences of interpersonal microbial variation (3R35GM118159-06S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10388949. Licensed CC0.

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