How do our gut bacteria communicate with the brain? (SSA)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Graduate Office
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that gut bacteria can impact neurological outcomes, altering behaviour and potentially affecting the onset and/or severity of nervous system disorders such as autism or Parkinson's diseases. However the precise mechanisms of how the intestinal microbes impact neurological function and behaviour remain largely unknown.
This PhD project will use a trans-disciplinary approach including gnotobiotic rodent models to decipher the role of mucin-degrading gut bacteria species on brain function and neurogenesis. This project will provide mechanistic insights into gut-microbiome-brain connections and help rationally design microbiota-based strategies for brain disorders.
This PhD project will use a trans-disciplinary approach including gnotobiotic rodent models to decipher the role of mucin-degrading gut bacteria species on brain function and neurogenesis. This project will provide mechanistic insights into gut-microbiome-brain connections and help rationally design microbiota-based strategies for brain disorders.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Nathalie Juge (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Erika Coletto (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BB/M011216/1 | 01/10/2015 | 31/03/2024 | |||
| 1772155 | Studentship | BB/M011216/1 | 01/10/2016 | 31/03/2021 | Erika Coletto |
| Description | Discovered metabolites involved in the gut-brain axis |
| Exploitation Route | Better understanding between the gut bacteria and the brain |
| Sectors | Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | Bursary winner for conference |
| Amount | £257 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wellcome Genome Campus |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2018 |
| End | 12/2018 |
| Description | Norwich Research Park Bioscience Doctoral Training Partnership |
| Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2016 |
| End | 09/2020 |
| Description | OpenPlant- Biomaker challenge |
| Amount | £3,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2019 |
| End | 12/2019 |
| Description | Travel Grant for attendance to the 6th Nutrition Winter School in Levi,Lapland |
| Amount | € 500 (EUR) |
| Organisation | NuGO |
| Sector | Multiple |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Start | 01/2020 |
| End | 03/2020 |
| Description | Sialobiology |
| Organisation | Hannover Medical School |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Presented unpublished data to collaborator |
| Collaborator Contribution | Feedback on data |
| Impact | Manuscript in preparation |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | BBSRC Gut-Brain axis |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Expert group to discuss UKRI BBSRC Bioscience for Integrated Understanding of Health (BIUH) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Conference- Poster presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The conference "Exploring Human Host-Microbiome Interactions in Health and Disease" was held at the Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre Hinxton, Cambridge and had the purpose to bring altogether the last research outcomes and discoveries in the gut microbiota field. In particular, the meeting highlighted the critical role of gut bacteria in health and disease, exploring its impact in the gut-brain axis and colon-rectal cancer research as well as showing the new methodologies and tools to study the gut microbiota composition (16S, metatranscriptomics, metagenomics, etc). Attending at this conference gave me the possibilities to know more about the research ongoing in the gut-brain axis and to exchange scientific idea and opinion with some of the experts of the field, giving my contribute to the information we have to date. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Conference-Oral talk- 25th International Symposium on Glycoconjugates- Milan, Italy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The biannual conference gathered together experts in the field of glycobiology and glycocojugates, from molecular and bacterial to human beings, with an insight of the role of sugars in heath and disease state. The international scientific enviroment shared the latest research updates in the field and special attention was devoted to the active participation of young people to the symposium. Personally I have been given the opportunity to present my work with a short oral presentation, followed up by feedback and a goos collaboration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.glyco25.org/ |
| Description | Conference-Oral talk- 30th Joint Glicobiology Meeting- Lille, France |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Joint Glycobiology Meeting (JGM) brought together European laboratories with major interest in Glycobiology which is considered as an emerging field impacting many biological aspects especially human physiology, development and diseases. The objectives of this meeting was to foster young scientists (PhD and Post-Doc students), early in their career, and to give them the opportunity to present and share their results to a high profile scientific audience. My submitted abstract was selected for a 15 minutes oral talk and I have quite enjoyed to share my preliminary results as well as the feedback for the audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://30thjgm.univ-lille.fr/ |
| Description | Conference-Oral talk- 6th Nutrition Winter School, Levi, Lapland, Finland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Nutrition Winter School was a scientific seminar that revolves around various topics related to nutrition and the gut with the purpose to gather early-career scientists and top researchers from various backgrounds and enjoy scientific lectures and fruitful discussions under the magical atmosphere of the Finnish Lapland. It was a really exciting meeting, either for the delivered science either for the outdoors activities were organise. My oral talk on my PhD project was appreciated by the audience and I have received good feedback as well as I have learnt more from the gastroenterologist expertise. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.helsinki.fi/en/conferences/nutrition-winter-school |
| Description | Introductory workshop on Biomedical Glycoscience |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This workshop organized by the Spanish Network of Excellence in Chemical Glycobiology-Glycobiochem provided scholarly seminars from leading experts on glycosylation and cancer, immune therapy, glycoconjugate vaccine design and antimicrobial resistance and technologies important for analyzing glycan structure and carbohydrate-protein interactions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://iwbg.wordpress.com/ |
| Description | Knowledge Exchange - University of Parma Foopd Science and Technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The activity had the purpose to exchange knowledge with the PhD students of the University of Parma. We had one day of projects presentation for both the group and then we have been show around the University and the facilities over there. It was very interesting and it opened door for future possible collaborations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Oral presentation- Microbial Interaction |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The Microbes in Norwich (MICRON) group invites all Early Career Researchers to participate in a one day workshop entitled "Microbial Interactions", which is designed to show-case the research activities of PhD students and postdocs across the Norwich Research Park (NRP) working in this broad area of microbiological research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/early-career-researcher-symposium-on-microbial-interactions-tickets-4... |
| Description | Women of the future- School Visit (Norfolk area) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 200 girls (14-15 years old) from schools across the Norfolk county came to visit for one day the research Institutions within the Norwich Research Park to meet a great diverse group of women working in different fields. A key aim of the event was to demonstrate the huge range of opportunities available in science for women and that they are not s just for boys. Moreover, it was important promoting equality and diversity for all the students, in turn to realise the immense value of inspiring the next generation of female STEMM professionals. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | YOUTH STEMM AWARD- school visit (Norfolk area) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The Youth STEMM Award (YSA),aimed to inspire and encourage secondary students (years 9-13) to become involved in STEMM subjects. In the day of the event the pupils were engaging the postgraduate students to develop knowledge and skills in key science areas. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://ysawards.co.uk/ |
| Description | general public |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Soapbox science is an outreach platform for promoting women in science and the activity they do. It represents a nice way to deliver scientific knowledge to the public area and let the common people know what research is about, in a easy and accessible way for non-science people. Using pictures, props and simple talks it was surprising see the interest of the public and the afterward awareness of related topics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://soapboxscience.org/ |