Seminar by Prof. Maria Zimmermann

EMBL Heidelberg, Germany

Quantifying gut microbiota-host metabolic interactions

Human gut microbiota, the community of microorganisms residing in our gastrointestinal tract, is implicated in different aspects of host health and disease. One of the mechanisms of how gut microbes can interact with the host is through metabolites, or small molecules that can be exchanged between the organisms. To quantify these microbiota–host metabolic interactions, we develop mathematical models that describe the underlying molecular exchange processes based on time-resolved or static metabolomic measurements. Combining in vitro and in vivo experimental data with such models has revealed that gut bacteria can substantially contribute to the host metabolism of medical drugs. With these models at hand, we investigate different scenarios of host–microbiota interactions and predict how perturbations (e.g. nutrients, antibiotics, medical interventions) change microbiota contributions to host metabolism. We are further expanding these approaches to improve our understanding of how dietary and neuroactive compounds affect microbes and their interactions with the host.