2017 Participants
Romany Mclure
The human gut is home to a vast array of microbes which are important in both health and disease. The microbiota aids in metabolism, digestion and immune function of its host and imbalances regularly result in disease. The gut microbiota has the capacity to breakdown the fibre in our diet that humans cannot, this fibre is largely made up of complex carbohydrates. The bacteria in the gut use these complex carbohydrates by producing various enzymes to breakdown and utilise the carbohydrates. This project studied the action of these enzymes, allowing a higher understanding the process of carbohydrate utilisation and the how the enzymes are involved, and therefore how we can influence the microbiota. This will lead to the development of novel pro- and pre- biotic strategies to encourage a healthy diverse microbiota rather than an unhealthy microbiota that we often observe in disease states.
Funding source: Newcastle University
Supervisor: Dr Fiona Cuskin