Exploring functional inter-individual variations in the intestinal microbiome for personalized nutrition

The intestinal tract is inhabited by a large and diverse community of microorganisms, collectively referred to as the microbiota. When stably maintained, the microbiota provides important benefits to its host. However, disturbance of the microbiota-host relationship can perturb homeostasis and drive chronic intestinal inflammation, a cardinal feature of an array of diseases including Inflammatory Bowel Disease. While many factors regulate microbiota composition and function, numerous studies have revealed a central role for diet in modulating this complex community and, consequently, its impacts on host health. My research group has investigated how microbiota is impacted by components of processed foods, particularly emulsifiers and purified fibres. We have reported that these substances have marked modulatory potential on the microbiota in a way that broadly impacts host physiology. However, the extent of such modulations is not uniform but rather subject to high levels of inter-individual and microbiota-dependent variations. These observations have led to the central hypothesis driving the InterBiome proposal, namely that the intestinal microbiota is a central nexus in driving inter-individual variations in the extent to which various dietary factors impact health. We will investigate this hypothesis via a combination of integrated experimental approaches, including patient-based prospective studies, in vitro microbiota modelling and gnotobiotic approaches. Results of these studies will define mechanisms by which the intestinal microbiota drives inter-individual variation in responses to select food additives in a way that promotes or degrades intestinal health. The InterBiome project will open novel avenues of microbiota research, paving the way for microbiota-based personalized medicine and dietary management.