Food Microbiome and Health: Exploiting current and new mechanistic knowledge from Themes 1 to 3 to design and trial food/microbiome-based interventions
Lead Research Organisation:
QUADRAM INSTITUTE BIOSCIENCE
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
To undertake animal model and proof-of-concept human studies to evaluate the efficacy of food/ microbiome interventions designed to improve and maintain long-term health and provide a gateway to exploitation translation and future human clinical trials.
Planned Impact
unavailable
Publications
Al-Jaibaji Olla
(2023)
Hydroponics as a route to generate vitamin B12-biofortified plants that allow consumers to meet the Reference Nutrient Intake
in ANNALS OF NUTRITION AND METABOLISM
Bournot A
(2024)
Association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and respiratory tract infections requiring hospital admission: analysis of ethnic groups from the UK Biobank cohort
in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
Brown E
(2024)
Effect of vitamin D 2 supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
in Proceedings of the Nutrition Society
Brown EIG
(2025)
Effect of vitamin D2 supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
in Nutrition Reviews
Caroline R. Hill
(2024)
Development of a food composition database for the estimation of dietary S-methyl cysteine sulfoxide from vegetables.
in Journal of Food Composition and Analysis
Cook R
(2024)
Driving through stop signs: predicting stop codon reassignment improves functional annotation of bacteriophages.
in ISME communications
Cook R
(2024)
Decoding huge phage diversity: a taxonomic classification of Lak megaphages.
in The Journal of general virology
Cook R
(2024)
Nanopore and Illumina sequencing reveal different viral populations from human gut samples.
in Microbial genomics
Dagbasi A
(2024)
Diet shapes the metabolite profile in the intact human ileum, which affects PYY release.
in Science translational medicine
| Description | Code of Practice for Research using Human Tissue across Norwich Research Park |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Awareness of the rules governing the use of human tissue and competency to work to the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Standards for Research |
| Description | EDESIA Cohort Training on Clinical Studies |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Food Standards Agency Scientific Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Committee Advice documents summarise the advice the Committee has provided for the GM and novel foods regulated products applications where their advice was sought. They outline the areas they were asked to advise on and the conclusions reached, based on the evidence presented. These are used by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) to inform the development of Safety Assessments which addresses the requirement in the legislation for an Opinion. |
| URL | https://acnfp.food.gov.uk/ |
| Description | Human Studies Training programme for researchers and students across the Norwich Research Park |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Providing students and researchers with guidelines on how to conduct research safely, ethically, and professionally. |
| Description | Review of Fibre Terminology/Ontology |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) membership |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition |
| Description | Effect of grain composition and particle size on digestibility and glycemic response to sweet bakery |
| Amount | £111,569 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | BB/W510440/1 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2022 |
| End | 09/2026 |
| Description | Follow On Fund: Upcycling water from legume processing to meet high demand for plant-based food ingredients: Creating new opportunities for UK legumes |
| Amount | £242,792 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | APP4202 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2024 |
| End | 12/2025 |
| Description | LINK funding |
| Amount | £250,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 08/2024 |
| End | 08/2025 |
| Description | NRPDTP CASE |
| Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| End | 09/2028 |
| Description | OIRC RIPEN Innovation Hub Progression Award: Imaging the Bacterial Disassembly of Legume Cells |
| Amount | £19,844 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2023 |
| End | 04/2024 |
| Description | QI Clinical SeedCorn Award "Bacteriophages for chronic lung infections" |
| Amount | £34,949 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 20440 |
| Organisation | Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | international partnering award Spain |
| Amount | £10,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Quadram Institute Bioscience |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 06/2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with Dr Lauren Blekkenhorst |
| Organisation | Edith Cowan University |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Knowledge exchange |
| Collaborator Contribution | Knowledge exchange |
| Impact | Preparation of a manuscript about the development of a new food composition database |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with professor Amit Rai India |
| Organisation | National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute |
| Country | India |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We hosted the visit of prof Amit Rai to QIB and In March 20204 Arjan Narbad visited NABI-DTP institute and gave a presentation and discussed further collaboration. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof Rai visited QIB in February 2024 and this resulted in further planned collaboration grant applications to extend the link between QIB and NABI-DBT institute. Joint experimental work is planned. |
| Impact | Further short term funding to undertake collaboration experimental work via staff exchange from NABI to QIB. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Collaboration with professor Gi-Seong Moon |
| Organisation | Korea National University of Transportation |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We hosted the visit and undertook collaborative experimental worked on fermented foods |
| Collaborator Contribution | Professor Moon visited QIB for six months and undertook experimental work on novel natural antimicrobials to combat Clostidioides difficle. During his stay professor Moon gave presentations and mentored PhD students |
| Impact | Preliminary results that will form basis of a publication |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Pea genetic breeding |
| Organisation | John Innes Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Selection and characterization of novel pea varieties |
| Collaborator Contribution | Access to pea mutants, expertise in nutritional traits of legumes, plant breeding , greenhouse and field trials |
| Impact | Interdisciplinary collaboration between plant , food and health sciences |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | 1st QIB Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Panel Engagement Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This engagement day was designed to introduce the new role of PPI contributor and provide essential training on ethical considerations in human studies. The input of this group is crucial in shaping ethical, relevant, and impactful research. The program included an overview of research at the Quadram Institute, discussions on ethics in research, best practices for PPI involvement, and tours of the bioscience and clinical research facility. Expert speakers led sessions on the importance of PPI in ensuring responsible and meaningful research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | BBSRC Sparking Innovation Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | BBSRC Sparking Innovation Workshop brought together postgraduate students, budding entrepreneurs, technology transfer officers, funders and business professionals to engage in stimulating discussions about commercialisation of research. I participated in Panel session 2 - Bridging the Gap: From Concept to Commercialisation. It was empowering to hear different perspectives and experiences of commercialisation. There was much constructive discussion about how we can improve culture and support for successful commercialisation of research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Beans as a Vehicle for Transforming Food System Outcomes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Co-convened by Beans is How, the University of Oxford, ECI, AFN Network+ and BeanMeals, this two day summit gathered an international group of researchers and stakeholders to highlight pulses as an exemplary solution for achieving net zero and other environmental goals, and dietary and other socioeconomic goals. It will brought together the vision of how a shift towards more bean-based diets can help attain these goals and with the best methodology practices on how to achieve it. A presentation on the metabolic benefits of incorporation of pulseon whole cell legume flours into everyday food products led to discussion and greater awareness of how processing of legumes is also important in orded to maximise the health cobenefts of the transition to netzero. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Blog |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Blog describing the health benefits of peas and our research contribution. To date attracted 1,454 views from 1,291 people |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://quadram.ac.uk/blogs/why-do-peas-cause-gas/ |
| Description | Blog: The potential of peas; a PhD in plant-based nutrition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A blog written from a PhD student perspective about why peas are a plant-based powerhouse and her path to studying a PhD in plant-based nutrition |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://quadram.ac.uk/blogs/the-potential-of-peas-a-phd-in-plant-based-nutrition/ |
| Description | Breeders visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Contributed to Breeders` visit at JIC which sparked questions and discussion afterwards on strategic research priorities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Building the Norwich Food Supercluster |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | • Eastern Promise believes that Norwich has a unique set of assets that make it perfectly placed to lead a global food science supercluster including plant science, soil, innovative food businesses, agriculture and agri-tech, digestive health and healthy living. This event hosted at the Quadram Institute brought together a wide range of stakeholders and included panel discussions covering a broad range of topics from infrastructure, innovation, skills and investment. The aims of the event were • to talk about the work being undertaken to make Norwich a unique and excitng place for food science and related fields. • respect/reflect these institution's individual aims and objectives, whilst identifying common ground from which we can begin, • Identify Norwich & Norfolk's food science assets and how, collectively and individually, we can leverage the proximity of so many food-related elements In/around Norwich (e.g. science, agriculture, industry, education) into a 'supercluster' of food-science institutons. • emphasise the wide variety of skill sets needed and the career opportunites on offer. • excite and energise, inspiring conversatons to become actions. The positive response to the event is evident from reactions on social media platforms, for example. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mike-rigby-84450864_norwich-investment-innovation-ugcPost-71685842782... |
| Description | Conference presentation (Nutrition Society Winter Meeting) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Oral presentation by Dr Andrea Darling (University of Surrey) of an abstract titled "Effect of vitamin D2 supplementation on 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials" followed by Q&A. Audience was the wider nutrition community. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.nutritionsociety.org/events/winter-conference-2023-diet-and-lifestyle-strategies-prevent... |
| Description | EDESIA PhD students' visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Contribution to EDESIA-Babraham Symposium which sparked questions and discussion afterwards between PhD students across the tow sites (Norwich Research Park and Babraham Institute) about collaborations covering plant, food and health. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Exhibition at the Royal Norfolk Show |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | To showcase the Quadram Institute, NIHR and the CRF in how our research is involved with the public. This was held in the STEMM zone, which was focused on various Science, Technology, Math and Medicine areas happening in and around Norfolk. It was mainly aimed at children, but our table was also focused on getting adults in the know about how they can get involved in research themselves. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://quadram.ac.uk/events/quadram-institute-at-the-royal-norfolk-show-2024/ |
| Description | Faecal Microbiota Transplant Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | PPI working group meeting to advise on the design of Faecal Microbiota Transplant (FMT)- studies |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Food Consortium CTP Entrepeneurship Training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation on how innovation during PhD studies was taken forward to develop PulseON, followed by a panel discussion and networking with questions from PhD candidates. The PhD candidates using insights gained from the presentations and discussions to further advance their own ideas, and reported back that the event broadened awareness of the food system and supply chains, and found it beneficial to hear about different career pathways and how barriers have been overcome along the way. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Food industry visit to QIB |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Visit by industry members helped to increase the visibility and reputation of the organisation, and led to follow up research activity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | HALO Investment Readiness Program |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | PulseON Foods was selected to participate in the HALO Investment Programme organised by Anglia Capital Group. The event involved knowledge exchange between investors, business professionals and entrepeneurs within the East Anglia region. It raised awareness of PulseON Foods Ltd among investors in the region, established new relationships between mentors, investors and business professionals and start-ups, and helped the start-ups to develop stronger business development plans and an investor pitch. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.angliacapitalgroup.co.uk/investmentreadiness#:~:text=The%20Halo%20programme%20addresses%... |
| Description | Heritage Open Day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Visitors were invited to discover how our scientists and NHS clinical researchers are working to promote health and prevent disease through research into how food and microbes interact in the human gut as part of Heritage Open Days. Visitors learned about how they could get involved in research, found out about the amazing and connected hidden worlds inside our gut, and what we are doing to improve nutrition and protect the public from harmful microbes in food. There were hands-on activities for all the family to enjoy and explore the microbial world: turn pathogen detective to identify bugs that make us ill, work out how best to treat infections or have a go at coding a Raspberry Pi and use AI to banish bad bugs. Plus, they could look inside the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals' endoscopy centre, a state-of-the-art facility that's one of the largest in Europe. There were also tours of our Clinical Research Facility. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://quadram.ac.uk/events/heritage-open-day-hidden-worlds-of-health-food-and-microbes/ |
| Description | Interview with BBC Radio Norfolk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 10 min interview, answering questions about PulseON Foods Ltd, working as a scientist and entrepeneur on the Norwich Research Park. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Norwich Science Festival |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Working with NNUH Research Champions to promote our trials and collect feedback for future research |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Pint of Science - Plant power: Eat strong, Be strong. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Pint of Science brings scientists to a local venue to engage with the public for a fun, informal evening of fascinating talks and discussions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://pintofscience.co.uk/events/norwich |
| Description | Primary Food Festival - CUSP schools |
| 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 | Primary Food Festival - CUSP schools |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | QIB Human Research Governance Patient and Public Working group |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The PPI working group has developed a QIB PPI roadmap defining PPI involvement across the project lifecycle of QIB human studies. This PPI working group has created material to advertise and recruit public members for a new QIB PPI Review panel that will support the Human Research Governance Committee. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Royal Osteoporosis Society support group talks |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Patients, carers and/or patient groups |
| Results and Impact | Talks on vitamin D and bone to 5 regional Royal Osteoporosis Society support groups. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Students Visit |
| 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 | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Norwich University of the Arts Illustration Students Visit which sparked questions and discussion afterwards on research careers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | UK Flour Millers R&D Seminar |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Participation by academics in seminar led to broadened understanding of crop production and milling industry challenges and priorities. Academic participants learned a new method during the seminar and got insights of the latest market trends in the bread market. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UK Legume Research Community Annual Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | The UKLRC meeting has broad scope, including all aspects of fundamental and applied biology of forage and grain legumes including both model and crop species, genomics and breeding, production constraints, interactions with beneficial and pathogenic organisms, legume-based cropping systems and end use including processing into food and feeds, nutritional value and health benefits. Oral presentations were given to update the legume community on our research findings with regard to nutrition and technofunctional properties, sparking discussion. The breadth of topics covered raised awareness of research on uses of legumes across the food system. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | UKRI/NIHR Transitioning to Net/zero Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The UK is committed by law to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as drivers of climate change to net zero by 2050. A series of policies aimed at reducing these emissions have been identified as part of a wide-ranging net zero strategy. This includes climate change mitigation actions alongside actions to enable society to adapt to the unavoidable consequences of climate change. In equal partnership with NIHR, UKRI is seeking to establish a set of transdisciplinary research hubs that will provide policy-relevant evidence and deliver high impact solutions-focused research and innovation. The overarching goal is to realise the health co-benefits of the UK's transition to net zero, in order to protect and promote the physical and mental health of the UK population. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |