Microbiome Research Group

We investigate the microbiome-host interaction to understand the role the human microbiome plays in maintaining our health. This is a key step to design effective intervention strategies.

We study the microbiome-gut-brain axis through the computational analysis of the microbial metabolism of neuroactive compounds, following up on our previous publication. This allows assessing which microorganisms can produce or degrade which compounds, and how neuroactive compound metabolism might be altered in mental health related conditions.

We also focus on the transmission of the human microbiome: while alterations in microbiome composition are linked to multiple diseases, a lot less is known on how we acquire such microorganisms. By strain-level metagenomic profiling, we recently determined the extent of microbiome transmission among healthy individuals. We are now studying how social interactions shape the microbiome in health and disease and, following a One Health perspective, exploring animal and environmental sources of microorganisms.

Funding Acknowledgements