Bioeconomy
Researchers at Teesside University, in collaboration with the University of Hull and University of York, are using computational and microbiological techniques to enhance probiotics and explore their potential in treating inflammatory diseases. Funded by Research England’s THYME partnership, the projects aim to improve gut health and develop innovative, sustainable solutions for complex healthcare challenges.
The gut microbiome significantly impacts human health, influencing digestion, immunity, and diseases like obesity and mental health disorders. Probiotic products face challenges in effectively colonizing the gut and improving biofilm formation. Additionally, inflammatory diseases lack effective, low-side-effect treatments, presenting an urgent need for innovative approaches.
Project one: Enhancing probiotic biofilms Teesside University researchers isolated key probiotics and developed digital models to optimide gut biofilm formation. Using machine learning, they predict optimal conditions for growth, reducing reliance on time-intensive experiments. This innovation enables more effective probiotics with enhanced colonisation and health benefits. Project two: Immune-regulatory proteins Researchers scaled up proteins from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG to manage inflammation in diseases like IBD and arthritis. They are developing sustainable production methods, integrating waste utilisation to ensure environmental efficiency. These proteins could lead to safer, side-effect-free treatments.
This research accelerates probiotic development, advancing treatments for inflammatory diseases and contributing to the $64 billion probiotics market. It highlights the potential for interdisciplinary innovation to create tailored solutions that improve health outcomes while promoting sustainability.
