**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** A GROWING BODY OF CLINICAL EVIDENCES DEMONSTRATES POSITIVE EFFECTS OF WHOLE WHEAT, ON CERTAIN RISK FACTORS FOR CHRONIC DISEASES AND CARDIOMETABOLIC ABNORMALITIES; HOWEVER, OUTCOMES OF CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS HAVE REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL INTERPERSONAL VARIATION IN THE HEALTH BENEFITS, WITH A SUBSET OF INDIVIDUALS NOT EXHIBITING ANY MEASURABLE BENEFITS. WHOLE WHEAT CONTAINS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF BIOACTIVE PHYTOCHEMICALS IN ADDITION TO ITS WELL-RECONGIZED FIBER CONTENT. OUTCOMES OF MANY STUDIES SUPPORT THAT WHOLE WHEAT PROVIDE FAVORABLY IMPROVEMENT TO HUMAN HEALTH BY THE DIRECT EFFECTS OF THESE PHYTOCHEMICALS AND/OR THEIR GUT MICROBIAL METABOLITES. THUS, THE OBJECTIVES OF THIS STUDY ARE TO INVESTIGATE THE GUT MICROBIOTA-MEDIATED EFFECT OF WHOLE WHEAT CONSUMPTION ON THE FECAL AND PLASMA METABOLOMES, METABOLIC HEALTH, AND GUT HEALTH IN A COHORT OF ADULTS WITH PREDIABETES. IN ADDITION, WE WILL SYSTEMATICALLY INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL BIOACTIVE COMPOUNDS TO BOTH THE MIXED AS WELL ASINDIVIDUAL GUT MICROBES THAT MAY PLAY CRITICAL ROLES IN HUMAN HEALTH BY APPLYING OUR INNOVATIVE COMPUTER-CONTROLLED HUMAN COLONIC MODEL AND IN VITRO HIGH-THROUGHPUT SCREENING APPROACH. WE WILL ALSO ELUCIDATE THE IMPACT OF CIRCULATING MICROBIAL METABOLITES OF WHOLE WHEAT ON HOST METABOLIC HEALTH AND GUT HEALTH OF AT-RISK POPULATIONS. IDENTIFYING THE MICROBES, MICROBIAL PATHWAYS AND METABOLITES THAT MODULATE THE NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF THE HIGHLY CONSUMED, POTENTIALLY BENEFICIAL WHOLE WHEAT PRODUCTS, AND IDENTIFYING BIOMARKERS FOR THESE MICROBIAL PROCESSES WILL HELP TO GUIDE DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT ARE OPTIMIZED TO THE METABOLIC POTENTIAL OF A SUBJECT'S GUT MICROBIOTA WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF OPTIMIZING THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF WHOLE WHEAT.