Project

Development of an in silico and in vitro screening platform for bacterial consortia reducing Campylobacter growth.

Code
1202525N
Duration
01 October 2024 → 30 September 2027
Funding
Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO)
Research disciplines
  • Medical and health sciences
    • Microbiome
Keywords
in vitro co-culturing
 
Project description

Currently, we rely on antibiotics to combat potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal (GI) bacterial infections. However, the susceptibility to infection and the severity of symptoms varies among individuals exposed to the same pathogen. If we could unravel the factors responsible for these differences, we can formulate strategies to reduce the incidence of symptomatic infections, ultimately saving lives and reducing the need for antibiotics. Traditionally, researchers have approached this puzzle from two main perspectives: a human-centered view, delving into the intricacies of the host immune system, or a pathogen-centered view, scrutinizing variations in bacterial strains. I advocate for a paradigm shift by adopting a microbiota-centered perspective. This approach is grounded in the concept of colonization resistance, the mechanism whereby the intestinal microbiota protects itself against incursion by new microorganisms. Despite their tremendous potential to prevent and treat bacterial infections, microbial alternatives to antibiotics are still spread thin as we currently lack adequate methods to select potential candidates. My aim is to develop a method for the selection of personalized bacterial consortia capable of preventing Campylobacteriosis. I will do so by investigating Campylobacter’s ecological niche and competitors through metabolic modelling and screen for growth reducing bacterial strains or consortia using a newly developed in vitro co-culturing platform.