Boston Children's Hospital has announced it will receive a $1.7M grant through the Biomarkers of Gut Function and Health program, according to a news release.
Christopher Duggan, MD, director of Boston Children's Hospital's Center for Nutrition in the division of gastroenterology and nutrition, intends to use the award to further research in identifying and validating biomarkers of gut function in infants and young children in resource-poor countries.
The goal of the Biomarkers of Gut Function grant program is to identify and validate biomarkers that can assess gut function and guide new ways to improve the health and development of children in the developing world, according to the release.
"If we can validate the use of biomarkers it could lead to a number of treatment and prevention advancements," Dr. Duggan said, in the release. "Established blood markers could help identify infants at risk of poor growth, as well as design interventions to improve gastrointestinal health. These might include development of more effective nutrient supplements, encouraging breast feeding, and even the development of vaccines against common childhood illnesses."
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