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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

The impact of early-life sub-therapeutic antibiotic treatment (STAT) on excessive weight is robust despite transfer of intestinal microbes.  Sumner S

Protein Intake at Twice the RDA in Older Men Increases Circulatory Concentrations of the Microbiome Metabolite Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO).  Zeisel S

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

Dietary Choline and Betaine and Risk of CVD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.  Meyer K

A Microbiomic Analysis in African Americans with Colonic Lesions Reveals Streptococcus sp.VT162 as a Marker of Neoplastic Transformation.  Sumner S

Metabolic profiling of a chronic kidney disease cohort reveals metabolic phenotype more likely to benefit from a probiotic.  Sumner S

Trimethylamine N-Oxide, the Microbiome, and Heart and Kidney Disease.  Zeisel S

2016

Microbiota-Dependent Metabolite Trimethylamine N-Oxide and Coronary Artery Calcium in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA).  Meyer K

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

Kannapolis Rotary Club's Gift of $63,500

November 12, 2014

The Kannapolis Rotary Club has given a gift of $63,500 to the NRI in support of student housing. On Veteran’s Day, NRI Director Steven Zeisel, M.D., Ph.D., received a symbolic check for this donation from Kannapolis club president Jeremy Tutt and club member William...

February 17, 2015

November 6, 2014

The Role of Genetics and Other Biological Factors in the Obesity Epidemic Karen Corbin, Ph.D., R.D., joined the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) in 2009 and was promoted to research assistant professor in 2011. Dr. Corbin’s research focuses on nutritional and...

Genome-wide association replicates the association of Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) polymorphisms with serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in Hispanic children

November 3, 2014

Genome-wide association replicates the association of Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC) polymorphisms with serum monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in Hispanic children.
Voruganti VS, Laston S, Haack K, Mehta NR, Smith CW, Cole SA, Butte NF, Comuzzie AG.
Cytokine. 2012 Dec;60(3):634-8. doi: 10.1016/j.cyto.2012.08.029. Epub 2012 Sep 25.
PMID: 23017229

Significant genotype by diet (G × D) interaction effects on cardiometabolic responses to a pedigree-wide, dietary challenge in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)

November 3, 2014

Significant genotype by diet (G × D) interaction effects on cardiometabolic responses to a pedigree-wide, dietary challenge in vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus).
Voruganti VS, Jorgensen MJ, Kaplan JR, Kavanagh K, Rudel LL, Temel R, Fairbanks LA, Comuzzie AG.
Am J Primatol. 2013 May;75(5):491-9. doi: 10.1002/ajp.22125. Epub 2013 Jan 11.
PMID: 23315630

Genome-wide association analysis confirms and extends the association of SLC2A9 with serum uric acid levels to Mexican Americans

November 3, 2014

Genome-wide association analysis confirms and extends the association of SLC2A9 with serum uric acid levels to Mexican Americans.
Voruganti VS, Kent JW Jr, Debnath S, Cole SA, Haack K, Göring HH, Carless MA, Curran JE, Johnson MP, Almasy L, Dyer TD, Maccluer JW, Moses EK, Abboud HE, Mahaney MC, Blangero J, Comuzzie AG.
Front Genet. 2013 Dec 16;4:279. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2013.00279. eCollection 2013.
PMID: 24379826 [PubMed]