The plan for establishing the Center of Health for Advancing Microbiome and Mucosal Health (CHAMMP) was developed as an integral part of the Research Investments in the Sciences and Engineering (RISE) program that was funded in October 2012.  This collaborative RISE program entitled, “Protecting the Fragile Intestine: Integrating Microbiota and Mucosal Health” promotes interface across several disciplines and colleges at UC Davis. 

The project integrates the expertise of researchers from multiple departments/divisions of the School of Medicine, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, College of Letters & Sciences, College of Engineering, School of Veterinary Medicine, School of Law, and Graduate School of Management.

We have assembled an interdisciplinary team to research and apply novel approaches for repairing and protecting the fragile intestine in critical clinical populations: premature infants, virally infected adults, hospitalized cancer patients and adults with IBD. We propose a research model for accelerated gut mucosal repair, renewal and maturation through the use of a unique combination of prebiotics and probiotics. This paradigm-shifting concept is based on the exciting findings from previous and current studies at UC Davis.

Intestinal health is receiving increasing attention and there is a shift in industry thinking. If the Center becomes a campus focus, then there is incentive for significant investment by industrial affiliates to help drive the science and the translation of that science.

The Center provides the locus for researchers to establish proofs of principal for several fundamental innovations for mucosal health and to foster an ongoing pipeline of National Institute of Health RO1 and National Science Foundation proposals, to establish publishing and funding history suitable for P01 support in year 4 and to submit proposals for a Center Grant.  Several research proposals are already in the planning and submission stage.