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

Eating with the Seasons: Why It Matters for Your Health

Eating with the Seasons: Why It Matters for Your Health

When you shop at the farmer’s market, you're doing more than supporting local growers – you’re nourishing your body with foods harvested at their peak. Seasonal eating isn't just a trend; it's rooted in science. At the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), we study...

SPM Active® Supplementation

SPM Active® Supplementation

Study Purpose: The purpose of this study aims to explore the effects of SPM Active®, an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) dietary supplement, on male adults with obesity.

The Polybar Study

The Polybar Study

We are studying how consuming a protein bar with polyphenols as a daily functional snack can support metabolic health.

More Than Genetics: How Daily Choices Influence Our Health

More Than Genetics: How Daily Choices Influence Our Health

As the field of translational exposomics gains momentum, the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI) stands at the forefront of research exploring how nutrition interacts with our environment and genes to influence lifelong health. A recent publication in Human...

Why Some Diets Fail – UNC Researchers Investigate Metabolic Clues

Why Some Diets Fail – UNC Researchers Investigate Metabolic Clues

A new study from the UNC Nutrition Research Institute (NRI), published in the American Journal of Physiology, reveals metabolic markers that may predict weight loss success on calorie restriction (CR). Led by Evan Paules, PhD, a postdoctoral fellow in the Hursting...