# Alleviating antibiotic-induced microbiome dysfunction by quenching the microbial redox environment

> **NIH NIH R56** · BROWN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $340,449

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Antibiotic-induced disruption (AID) of the gut microbiome can lead to severe conditions like C. diff colitis and 
may contribute to long-term health issues, including obesity and diabetes. There is an urgent need to develop 
interventions that mitigate these negative impacts while preserving the antibiotics' effectiveness. Our preliminary 
data suggest that dietary fiber reduces antibiotic disruption by decreasing the gut's redox potential, which in turn 
favors a low-energy, fermentative metabolic environment. This environment protects core microbiome members 
by reducing their metabolic rate and ATP production, which are linked to antibiotic susceptibility. In Aim 1, we 
will use an ex vivo microbiome culture approach to test endogenous redox sinks and small molecule regulators 
of bacterial redox as modulators of AID and determine the influence of these modulators on microbiome 
resilience, recovery, and pathobiont susceptibility. This research aims to identify mechanisms that can be 
translated into therapies for protecting the microbiome during antibiotic treatment, particularly for vulnerable 
populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11189881
- **Project number:** 1R56AT012463-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BROWN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Peter Belenky
- **Activity code:** R56 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $340,449
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-24 → 2026-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11189881

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11189881, Alleviating antibiotic-induced microbiome dysfunction by quenching the microbial redox environment (1R56AT012463-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-02 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11189881. Licensed CC0.

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