2025 has been a productive year in gut microbiome research, spanning metabolic health, neurogastroenterology, immune modulation, and precision nutrition. In this ‘Year in Review’ article, the GMFH editing team describes their pick of the top GMFH-covered advances in 2025, outlining their impact in the clinical setting and implications for current and future research.
Patients’ expectations and beliefs in IBS: Why gluten and wheat might not be the culprit
30 Sep 2025by Andreu Prados
Many patients with IBS find that wheat or gluten triggers gastrointestinal symptoms, prompting them to exclude these foods from their diets. A new study highlights how patients’ expectations and beliefs shape symptom modulation and dietary choices in IBS.
Prebiotics have been widely researched in the context of gastrointestinal conditions and might hold potential to influence cognition outcomes by modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis. A new randomised controlled trial in individuals aged over 60s showed that a prebiotic blend (inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides) is well tolerated and may improve cognition compared with a placebo.
New findings in mice reveal a key role of intestinal dendritic cells in normalizing behavior after initial microbial colonization
26 Jun 2025by Premysl Bercik
While the gut microbiome differs between patients with IBS and healthy controls, the precise mechanisms underlying the initial phase of microbial-host interactions are not fully understood. New findings in mice identify a critical role of intestinal dendritic cells’ activation and migration in impacting brain neuroplasticity.
Clinical translation of microbiome research: takeaways from the 2025 GMFH Summit
16 May 2025by Andreu Prados
The 13th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit took place 15-16 March 2025 in Washington, D.C., and it focused on advances in microbiome research to diagnose, prevent, and manage gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal conditions. Find out more about the most valuable takeaways from the event.
Microorganisms in the gut emerge as a potential determining factor for understanding the links between stress response and brain function. New findings highlight the role of gut microbiota as a central regulator of the stress-circadian axis.
Unlocking the diagnostic and therapeutic potential roles of gut microbiome: takeaways from the 2024 GMFH Summit
23 May 2024by Joël Doré, Andreu Prados
The last 12th Gut Microbiota for Health World Summit took place 23-24 March 2024 in Washington, D.C. and focused on relevant gut microbiome advances from the lab to the clinic. Find out more about the main takeaways of the conference and how they might affect your research and practice.
Why addressing how our brain and our gut talk to each other matter for IBS
19 Feb 2024by Premysl Bercik, Andreu Prados
While the idea that our gut can influence our brain is not new, this is a rapidly growing area of research. Find out more on how gut microbes influence anxiety and stress and why tackling these psychological traits matters for irritable bowel syndrome.
Where are we on microbiome-based therapies in disorders of gut-brain interaction?
4 Dec 2023by Andreu Prados, Rene van den Wijngaard
NeuroGASTRO 2023, the leading meeting in Europe held by ESNM on the latest developments in neurogastroenterology, digestive motility, and disorders of gut-brain interaction, took place from August 31st to September 2nd, 2023. Find out more about the main takeaways from the role of fecal microbiota transplants, microbial consortia and probiotics in disorders of gut-brain interaction picked up by GMFH editors (Part 2).
Research highlights from NeuroGASTRO 2023: food, mast cells, eosinophils and gut barrier in disorders of gut-brain interaction
6 Nov 2023by Andreu Prados, Rene van den Wijngaard
NeuroGASTRO 2023, the leading meeting in Europe held by ESNM on the latest developments in neurogastroenterology, digestive motility, and disorders of the gut-brain interaction, took place from August 31st to September 2nd, 2023. Find out more what the latest research says about the involvement of the intestinal microbiota, mast cells, eosinophils and gut barrier in disorders of gut-brain interaction and dietary considerations in their management picked up by GMFH editors (Part 1).
