Back to search results

The Meta-SHIFT Study: Fasting and Immune System Research

This study, called The Meta-SHIFT Study, is looking at how fasting affects your immune system. Researchers want to understand how your body's 'metabolic shift' (when it changes from burning sugar to burning fat for energy during fasting) impacts immune cells. You would participate in a 26-hour fast (drinking only water) between two standardized breakfasts. The study will measure changes in your immune cells (peripheral blood mononuclear cells or PBMCs) and their energy use and inflammatory capacity. They are looking for healthy adults between 18 and 40 years old with a specific body mass index (BMI). The goal is to better understand the connection between metabolism and how your immune system works.

Study design
This interventional study plans to enroll 28 participants to investigate the effects of fasting.
What's involved
You would participate in all study activities during a 3-day intervention, which includes a 26-hour water-only fast between two standardized breakfasts.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Changes in immune cell energy metabolism and inflammatory capacity will be measured at baseline and 24 hours.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT07527208

The Meta-SHIFT Study: How Metabolic Shift Shapes Human Immunometabolism - a Fasting Trial

Recruiting
NAAges 18–40InterventionalBasic science
Cornell University
~28 participants
Updated 2026-05-07 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Fasting

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Change in PBMC energy metabolism.
Measured over Baseline, 24 hours
+3 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Fasting

Explore related trials

Healthy

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
New York1

Study leadership

  • Sander Kersten, Ph.D. · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Cornell University

Who to contact

Larissa van der Zon, MS
[email protected]
607-255-4045
Email the study team

Opens a ready-to-send draft in your own email app — review before sending.

Do you actually qualify for this trial?

Add a private profile and we'll compare every criterion below against your situation — and tell you which ones are met, uncertain, or excluding.

Check eligibility for this trial ~2 min · HIPAA-protected · delete anytime
Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Apparently healthy
Age 18-40y at the time of recruitment
BMI ≥ 18.5 and ≤ 24.9 kg/m2
Willing to participate in all study activities during the 3-day intervention
Signed informed consent

Exclusion

Diagnosed with any chronic medical condition that can interfere with the study outcome (e.g., cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2, liver disease, pulmonary disease, renal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, thyroid disease, long COVID, PASC)
Bleeding disorder (e.g., Hemophilia A/B, Von Willebrand Disease, or low platelets), current anemia or current use of blood thinners or anticoagulants (e.g. warfarin, heparin)
Any acute or chronic infection disease or fever in the past month
Antibiotic use in the past 2 months
Use of any prescribed medications (incl. GLP-1 agonists), except for contraceptives
Usage of recreational drugs in the last three months
Unstable body weight (weight gain or loss \>5% of total BW in the past three months)
Following any restrictive diet within one month of starting the study (for example a ketogenic diet or weight loss diet)
Fasted for 16 hours or longer in the past week
History of an eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, or binge eating disorder)
Allergic to one or more components of the standardized meal and/or shake (i.e., milk, wheat, and soy)
Average alcohol intake that exceeds 1 consumption/day or 7 consumptions/week over the past month
Tobacco smoker or regular use of nicotine products
Donated or intend to donate blood from 2 months before the study until the end of the study
Being pregnant or lactating
Participation in another biomedical study during this study

What this trial measures

  • Change in PBMC energy metabolism.Baseline, 24 hours

    Change from baseline PBMC glucose dependence (%) and mitochondrial dependence (%) at 24-hours, as measured by the flow cytometry-based CENCAT method.

  • Change in activated PBMC energy metabolism.Baseline, 24 hours

    Change from baseline activated PBMC glucose dependence (%) and mitochondrial dependence (%) at 24-hours, as measured by the flow cytometry-based CENCAT method. PBMCs are activated in vitro for 2-hours using LPS or TransAct.

  • Change in inflammatory capacity of activated PBMCs.Baseline, 24 hours

    Change from baseline activated PBMC cytokine positive cells (%) and relative cellular cytokine quantity (fluorescent intensity) at 24-hours, as measured by a flow cytometry-based intracellular cytokine stain. PBMCs are activated in vitro for 2-hours using LPS or TransAct.

  • Change in PBMC subset abundance.Baseline, 24 hours

    Change from baseline PBMC subset counts, as assessed with a hematology analyzer.