Microbiome and Nutrition
The complex community of bacteria, yeasts and viruses living in our intestines, collectively known as the gut microbiome, is shaped, in part, by what we eat. Genetics, environment, and other factors also influence an individual’s microbial community. Research at the NRI investigates these complex relationships and their impact on disease risk. We use animal models and bioinformatics to study the associations between nutritional metabolites, gut microbiome, and health. What happens in the gut doesn’t stay in the gut. Your microbiome can play a role in cardiovascular disease, obesity and diabetes, and even cancer. Our team envisions a future where analysis of your microbiome can determine disease risk, and medical foods can be prescribed to treat and prevent disease by regulating the microbiome.
Publications
Microbiome and Nutrition Publications
2020
Population studies of TMAO and its precursors may help elucidate mechanisms. Meyer K
2019
Association of dietary patterns with the gut microbiota in older, community-dwelling men. Meyer K
2018
Meta-analysis of human genome-microbiome association studies: the MiBioGen consortium initiative. Meyer K
Human microbiota, blood group antigens, and disease. Sumner S
2017
Trimethylamine N-Oxide, the Microbiome, and Heart and Kidney Disease. Zeisel S
2016
Diet and Gut Microbial Function in Metabolic and Cardiovascular Disease Risk. Meyer K
Antibiotic-mediated gut microbiome perturbation accelerates development of type 1 diabetes in mice. Sumner S
Related News
Nutritional Genomics: The Need for a Unified and Comprehensive Approach
Niculescu, M. D. (2011) Nutritional Genomics: The Need for a Unified and Comprehensive Approach. J Nutrition Disorder Ther 1, e101
Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance: Should obesity- prevention policies be reconsidered
Niculescu M.D. (2011) Epigenetic transgenerational inheritance: Should obesity-prevention policies be reconsidered? Synesis J, 2, G18-26.
Firsts for an NRI Young Scientist
Tracey He has the distinction of being the first NRI researcher to have earned a master’s degree while working in an NRI lab. Her story is one of passion and dedication.
Maternal Dietary Choline Deficiency Alters Angiogenesis in Fetal Mouse Hippocampus
Niculescu, M. D., Lupu, D. S., and Craciunescu, C. N. (2011) Maternal alpha-linolenic acid availability during gestation and lactation alters the postnatal hippocampal development in the mouse offspring. Int J Dev Neurosci 29, 795-802
Low dose Flaxseed Oil Supplementation Alters the Fatty Acids Profile and the Progression of Metabolic Syndrome in Men without Adequate Medical Treatment
Tint, D., Anghel, M., Lupu, D. S., Fischer, L. M., and Niculescu, M. D. (2011) Low dose Flaxseed Oil Supplementation Alters the Fatty Acids Profile and the Progression of Metabolic Syndrome in Men without Adequate Medical Treatment. J Nutrition Disorder Ther S7, 1
What Choline Metabolism Can Tell Us About the Underlying Mechanism of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Zeisel, S.H. (2011) What choline metabolism can tell us about the underlying mechanisms of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Molecular Neurobiology. doi 10.1007/s12035-011-8165-5.