| Project Detail |
"""What can I eat?” This is the question that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) ask their general practitioner. Diet is the first line of treatment for IBS and is based on restricting foods containing a group of sugars (Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides and polyol or FODMAPs), which are not fully absorbed by the host and fermented by the gut microbiota. Although effective, this treatment is not sustainable in the long term, as the diet requires limiting beneficial foods such as vegetables and fruits. To date, due to a lack of specific trials, our understanding of which and how specific FODMAPs contribute to IBS symptoms has yet to be uncovered.
Based on (1) preliminary results showing a patient-specific response to purified FODMAPs in IBS patients, (2) the central role of the gut microbiota in FODMAP digestion and (3) the interindividual variation of the gut microbiota between individuals and IBS patients, I hypothesise that specific FODMAPs cause symptoms in IBS patients through individualised microbiome activity. By combining my bioinformatics skills and microbiome background with wet-lab microbiology expertise of the host group, I aim to identify bacterial species and metabolites causing the development of symptoms. Firstly, I will analyse samples and clinical data from a trial conducted in the host lab, in which patients were exposed to six purified FODMAPs, to identify microbiome changes in those experiencing symptoms. Next, I will test the interaction between FODMAPs and the identified microbes with high-throughput in-vitro fermentation, monitoring dynamic shifts in the gut microbial ecosystem and metabolic activity upon FODMAP exposure. Finally, I will determine if baseline microbiome or metabolite profiles can predict an individuals tolerance to specific FODMAPs.
The outcomes of my research project will pave the way for innovative, effective, non-invasive, and personalised therapeutic approaches for a disorder affecting 10% of Europeans." |
