Driving a Research Frontier

ACT supports multidisciplinary, collaborative academic research focused on restoring the microbiome with one goal in mind...cures! Our research projects and collaborations are rapidly expanding and spread across multiple health conditions. Read more about our academic collaborators and current research projects below.

ASU researchers use bacteria to improve autism symptoms

Pitt-Hopkins Disease

Arizona State University
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

A Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing the impact of Microbiota Transfer Therapy in patients with Pitt-Hopkins Disease, a genetic disease associated with a severe form of Autism. Trial results are expected by the end of the year. More details on the study are available here. Another trial is in development with a next-generation microbiota therapeutic to allow more patients access who are unable to swallow the standard microbiota therapeutic capsules.

Advanced Liver Disease

Richmond, VA
Virginia Commonwealth University
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Placebo controlled trials are studying the impact of microbial restoration in patients with end stage liver disease and cirrhosis who can experience confusion due to high ammonia and inflammation connected to changes in the gut microbiome.  Additional information on this clinical trial is available here. Read more about the impact of microbial composition in liver disease and cirrhosis here.

Complications of Intensive Chemotherapy for Acute Leukemia

University of Minnesota
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial investigating the impact of microbial restoration on patients being treated with intensive chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Study details are available here.

Ulcerative Colitis

University of Minnesota
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

A placebo-controlled trial at the University of Minnesota investigating the role of bacteria linked to hydrogen sulfide gas and inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis. This study is nearing the end of its recruitment goal. Visit their site to learn more about the study and enrollment qualifications. Hear more from the principal investigator, Dr. Byron Vaughn and in the publication.

Post-operative Crohn’s Disease

University of Minnesota
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

This phase 1 single blinded, placebo-controlled trial is currently recruiting patients. More trial information and eligibility criteria are available here.

Complications of Bone Marrow Transplantation

University of Minnesota
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

This placebo-controlled trial has reached recruitment goals and should have results available by the end of the year. Hear more about the impact of microbial restoration on Graft Versus Host Disease and non-cancer related mortality after bone marrow transplantation from Dr. Shernan Holtan at the University of Minnesota here and from Dr. Armin Rashidi here.

C. difficile Infections Multi-Center Trial

Veterans Administration Medical System
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

This phase 2 clinical trial is investigating the efficacy of Fecal Microbiota Transplant in treating recurrent C. difficile infections. More information on the clinical trial is available here.

C. difficile Infection in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients

University of Wisconsin, Madison
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

A phase 2 double blind, double placebo-controlled clinical trial studying the impact of Fecal Microbiota Transplant in treating recurrent C. difficile Infections in solid organ transplant recipients. Trial details are available here.

C. difficile Infections Clinical Treatment Registry

University of Minnesota
Indiana University
Brown University
Harvard University
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Clinicians and providers in this collaborative trial are actively treating patients with recurrent C. difficile infections through Intestinal Microbiota Transplants and maintaining a single registry evaluating clinical results.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

University of Minnesota
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

This phase 1, open label study has begun recruitment. More information is available here. Read more from the investigators in their publication (link to abstract only, access available upon request to the investigators or a journal subscription).  

Autism

Arizona State University
Trials underway
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

A Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study is underway at Arizona State University utilizing Microbiota Transplant Therapy with pediatric and adult patients. More information regarding the current trial is available here.

Click below to view information on previous trials.

Optimization of checkpoint immunotherapy against lung cancer

University of Minnesota
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Details on this Phase II, double blind, placebo controlled trial are available here.

Alopecia Areata

Columbia University
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Congestive Heart Failure

Columbia University
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Food Allergies

Harvard University
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Checkpoint Inhibitor Colitis

University of Minnesota
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Parkinson’s Disease

Baltimore, MD
Emerging clinical trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.


Autism

Arizona State University
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Investigators are researching the impact of Microbiota Transfer Therapy on Autism and gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with Autism. A phase 1 clinical trial found Autism symptoms reduced nearly 50% two years after microbiota therapy. Read more about the initial trial.

Additional information about the Autism Research Program at Arizona State University is available here.

ASU Researchers Dr. James Adams& Dr. Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown share results from their research.

Hear from patients enrolled in the trial and here.

Recurrent C. difficile Infection: Bacterial Engraftment after Intestinal Microbial Transplant

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • In this trial, researchers monitored stool samples of patients successfully treated with Intestinal Microbiota Transplant capsules for recurrent C. difficile infections over a period of a year. All patients recovered clinically and none had exposure to antibiotics after transplant during the trial period.
  • The majority of patients' microbiota resembled that of the donor throughout the entire period. However, in a quarter of patients the microbiota became entirely different from the donor at one year. In a minority of patients we did not see much in the way of donor microbiota at all.
  • Read the full cited research publication here.

Dietary Factors in Ulcerative Colitis

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • Investigators studied the connection between high levels of Hydrogen sulfide, sulfate reducing bacteria and inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis patients. The study suggests that "the increasing severity of inflammation in Ulcerative Colitis is due to the dilution of beneficial factors, concentration of toxic factors and changing detoxification capacity of the host, all of which are intimately linked to the nutrient flow from the diet." Read the full literature review here.

Acute Leukemia: Chemotherapy & Gut Dysbiosis

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • Researchers tracked the microbial communities of patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy for Acute leukemia and monitored the impact on the diversity of the gut microbiome. Investigators followed two groups of patients, those completing their first induction of chemotherapy and those undergoing repeat therapy.
  • The study found "larger departures of microbial communities from the pre-chemotherapy baseline during repeat therapy compared to first induction."
  • Read the trial publication here.

Impact of Dietary Sulfur on Intestinal Sulfate Reducing Bacteria

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • Researchers studied the impact of diet on intestinal Sulfate Reducing Bacteria. This pilot crossover study monitored the gut bacteria of four healthy individuals, who followed two interventional diets for 10-14 days, containing high or low sulfur-containing amino acids (SAA). No major changes occurred in the quantity of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria, suggesting that "dietary interventions alone may be insufficient for rapid therapeutic targeting of Sulfate Reducing Bacteria." Read the trial publication here.

Graft-Versus-Host Disease

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • Researchers studied biomarkers of patients prior to Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation (HCT). Compared to 16 healthy control patients, "pre-transplant patients came to transplant with abnormal levels of all three biomarkers, reflecting residual damage from prior chemotherapy." The study suggests that pre-HCT interventions to the gut microbiome may decrease patient risk for Graft-Versus-Host disease post HCT. Read the study publication here.
  • Hear more about Graft versus Host disease from Dr. Shernan Holtan, researcher at the University of Minnesota.

Acute Leukemia: Chemotherapy & Gut Dysbiosis

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.
  • This trial is an observational study monitoring the length of microbial disruption after chemotherapy and rounds of antibiotics for cancer treatment. Researchers found that microbial communities were "stressed beyond its ability to recover", even after antibiotics treatments ended.
  • You can read the trials research publication here and the clinical trial details here.

Diabetes

University of Minnesota
Completed Trials
Pending regulatory approval, please check back for additional updates.

Researchers investigated the impact of altering the microbial composition on metabolizing sugar in pre-diabetic patients. Participants received an Intestinal Microbiota Transplant from screened, lean donors. Additional clinical trial information is available here.

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