# Host-Microbe Core

> **NIH NIH P30** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2020 · $181,932

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The Host-Microbe Core (HMC) is comprised of two components – the Gnotobiotic component (GBC) and
Enteric Microbiology component (EMC). They synergize in the isolation, cultivation and analysis of microbiota
by biochemical and sequencing methods with the concomitant analysis of microbes and their communities in
vivo using our state-of-the-art gnotobiotic facility. Recent advances in the analysis of the commensal
microbiota and an increasing appreciation for the role of the microbiota in the vital functions of the mammalian
host have put the studies of host-microbe interactions at the forefront of many areas of the life sciences. This is
especially true for studies of the normal physiology of the gut and pathophysiology of disease states such as
IBD, which has been linked to disruptions in the host-commensal mutualism. The ability to analyze the
composition and structure of the microbiota, as well as its functional properties and ex vivo culturing conditions,
is a base requirement for building a successful research center devoted to studying digestive diseases.
Moreover, to be in the vanguard of these increasingly inter-disciplinary research fields, DDRCC scientists need
access to a reliable mechanism for testing their ideas in in vivo experiments in animals colonized with defined
microbiota – gnotobiotic mice. They are also in need of germ-free (GF) animals to use as controls for studies of
the role of microbes in disease development. As a result, the HMC is committed to: (1) Providing DDRCC
researchers with services that reflect their needs, are available on campus, and are competitively priced
compared to commercial services; and (2) Further development of the HMC to meet both current and
anticipated demands. The HMC not only provides valuable expertise to DDRCC users for experiment planning,
troubleshooting and discussion of the results but is also integrated with the other DDRCC cores to augment
these capabilities. The HMC together with the Integrated Translational Research (ITR) Core are essential for
providing cells, tissues, and patient samples to investigators for establishing experimental models. Likewise,
the Enteric Microbiology component of the HMC provides high-quality, customized service for cultivation-
dependent and -independent analyses of complex gut microbiomes, and in conjunction with the Computational
Analysis and Modeling Resource (CAMR) component of the Administrative Core provides assistance and
instruction in the analysis of large datasets. Thus, the HM Core has had tremendous impact in enabling
DDRCC members to advance knowledge in the DDRCC's thematic areas that focus on the study of IBD, host-
microbe interactions, mucosal immunology and inflammation. Of the 306 DDRCC-acknowledged publications
over the past funding cycles, 59 (~20%) cited the HMC as the primary core that they used. Further
underscoring the integration of DDRCC Cores, the HMC was also listed as a secondary core for an additional
...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9838214
- **Project number:** 5P30DK042086-30
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** ALEXANDER V CHERVONSKY
- **Activity code:** P30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $181,932
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** — → —

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9838214

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9838214, Host-Microbe Core (5P30DK042086-30). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9838214. Licensed CC0.

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