Intestinal bacteria play an important role in keeping our bodies healthy. The microbiome also influences the development and progression of various diseases. The composition of the microbiome is different for everyone and can change, for example due to medications, but also due to what you eat. That is why the microbiome is a very interesting starting point for the prevention and treatment of diseases.
Puzzle and switch quickly
Microbiome research can be seen as a large puzzle with different scientists each investigating a different piece of the microbiome puzzle. Together they investigate the composition, stability and function of the microbiome. They also study factors that can influence the microbiome, such as a person’s genetic profile, diet or drug use.
In the new hub three laboratories with the latest technology are built next to each other. This allows researchers to collaborate smartly and quickly with each other. There is also an office space where people can analyze the data and communicate quickly with the people in the lab.
Intensify microbiome research
Insight into how the microbiome contributes to health and disease leads to new possibilities to treat patients and prevent the onset of diseases. A lot of groundbreaking research has been done on this at the UMCG for years. In the new Microbiome Hub, researchers can now build on that knowledge and take research to the next level. The microbiome hub was founded by researchers from the departments of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention and Genetics.
Research into the microbiome has been conducted at the UMCG for years. For example, in 2022 the Groningen team of microbiome researchers unraveled the composition of a healthy microbiome. The team discovered also that the composition of your intestinal microbiome influences the effectiveness of immunotherapy for skin cancer and that you can change the composition of the microbiome with nutrition to influence.
Influence of microbiome on skin diseases
Our skin also has a so-called microbiome. The human skin contains billions of microorganisms. The total of these bacteria and fungi on the top layer of the skin – the stratum corneum – is the skin’s microbiome. These microorganisms usually have a protective effect, but can cause negative reactions such as eczema and acne if the microbiome becomes out of balance. Researchers from Radboudumc in Nijmegen have recently developed a method to study the impact of micro-organisms in skin diseases and their treatment via artificial skin.
2023-12-08 10:10:00
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