Jessica Grembi, an assistant professor of pharmacology at Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has secured a $500,000 grant from the Gates Foundation to study how the gut microbiome influences environmental enteropathy, a small‑intestine inflammation that hampers nutrient absorption.
Why the study matters
Environmental enteropathy is most common in low‑ and middle‑income countries and can stunt growth and impair cognition in young children. Understanding the condition could help protect vulnerable mothers and their babies.
Traditional diagnostics—blood tests that detect systemic inflammation and stool biomarkers that reflect large‑intestine activity—do not pinpoint the small‑intestinal environment where the disease originates. Grembi’s team aims to fill that gap.
New technology enables direct sampling
The researchers will employ CapScan, a swallowable capsule that unfurls in the small intestine and collects fluid for later analysis. The study will involve 240 pregnant women across Bangladesh, Pakistan, Senegal and Zambia.
CapScan circumvents the limitations of biopsy, which required fasting, sedation and only accessed the upper small intestine. By sampling during normal digestion, the team can observe host‑microbiota interactions in a realistic setting.
Planned analyses
After retrieval, the samples will be sequenced to profile microbes and metabolites. Researchers will measure secreted antibodies, identify the bacteria targeted by those antibodies, and quantify cytokines and other inflammatory markers.
Correlating specific microbial abundances with inflammation indicators may reveal which bacteria act as key mediators of the disease.
What could happen next
Samples from the field sites are expected to arrive at Penn State within the next two to four months. Once analyzed, the data could guide the design of microbiome‑based therapies or nutrition programs for pregnant women.
Future studies may expand the approach to other at‑risk populations, and policymakers could consider integrating microbiome monitoring into existing water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is environmental enteropathy?
It is a condition marked by inflammation of the small intestine that reduces nutrient absorption, commonly seen in low‑ and middle‑income countries and linked to growth and cognitive impairments in children.
How does the CapScan capsule work?
The capsule is swallowed, waits until it reaches the small intestine, then unravels to collect fluid. The collected sample is later analyzed for microbes, antibodies, cytokines and other markers of inflammation.
What is the ultimate goal of Grembi’s research?
The project seeks to identify biomarkers of environmental enteropathy in pregnant women, understand the role of specific microbes in the disease, and support the development and evaluation of maternal microbiome interventions.
How might these findings change the way we address gut health in vulnerable populations?
