Pregnancy & early life

News Watch

Although we already knew bacterial exposure of the baby’s digestive tract starts during pregnancy and during birth, but how the infant´s gut microbiota foundations are laid, how they change over time, and how the transition from infancy to childhood is organized is not yet fully understood. Now, a new paper published in Nature shed light on these questions. It provides…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

Although we already knew bacterial exposure of the baby’s digestive tract starts during pregnancy and during birth, but how the infant´s gut microbiota foundations are laid, how they change over time, and how the transition from infancy to childhood is organized is not yet fully understood. Now, a new paper published in Nature shed light on these questions. It provides…

Cristina Sáez
Cristina Saez is a freelance science journalist. She works for several media, for instance the Spanish newspaper La Vanguardia, where she coordinates the science section, Big Vang; as well as research centres and scientific societies. She has been awarded for her journalistic work, among others, with the Boehringer Ingelheim Award in Medical Journalism 2015. Follow Cristina on Twitter @saez_cristina

Understanding the interaction between brain, gut and microbiome is the goal of John Cryan's work as Principal Investigator at the APC Microbiome Institute in Cork, Ireland. In the talk he gave at TEDxHa'pennyBridge, held in Dublin in June 2017, Prof. Cryan looked into this connection and its influence over psychiatric and immune-related disorders. 

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Understanding the interaction between brain, gut and microbiome is the goal of John Cryan's work as Principal Investigator at the APC Microbiome Institute in Cork, Ireland. In the talk he gave at TEDxHa'pennyBridge, held in Dublin in June 2017, Prof. Cryan looked into this connection and its influence over psychiatric and immune-related disorders. 

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

With their distinctive perspective on design, color and storytelling, Kurzgesagt (German for “in a nutshell“) shows the different functions of gut bacteria and their role in our overall health. From helping digest food to protecting our immune system, our gut microbes not only keep our guts healthy, but could also possibly influence what kinds of foods we crave. 

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

With their distinctive perspective on design, color and storytelling, Kurzgesagt (German for “in a nutshell“) shows the different functions of gut bacteria and their role in our overall health. From helping digest food to protecting our immune system, our gut microbes not only keep our guts healthy, but could also possibly influence what kinds of foods we crave. 

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Allergic diseases are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Chances are, you know someone with a condition like asthma, eczema, an allergy to specific foods or drugs, or even anaphylaxis (an acute hypersensitivity reaction that involves multiple body systems). But lately, groups of researchers around the world are looking at new solutions to treat—or even prevent—allergic diseases through the gut microbiota. Several…

Kristina Campbell
Science writer Kristina Campbell (M.Sc.), from British Columbia (Canada), specializes in communicating about the gut microbiota, digestive health, and nutrition. Author of the best selling Well-Fed Microbiome Cookbook, her freelance work has appeared in publications around the world. Kristina joined the Gut Microbiota for Health publishing team in 2014.  Find her on: Google • Twitter

Allergic diseases are increasing in prevalence worldwide. Chances are, you know someone with a condition like asthma, eczema, an allergy to specific foods or drugs, or even anaphylaxis (an acute hypersensitivity reaction that involves multiple body systems). But lately, groups of researchers around the world are looking at new solutions to treat—or even prevent—allergic diseases through the gut microbiota. Several…

Kristina Campbell
Science writer Kristina Campbell (M.Sc.), from British Columbia (Canada), specializes in communicating about the gut microbiota, digestive health, and nutrition. Author of the best selling Well-Fed Microbiome Cookbook, her freelance work has appeared in publications around the world. Kristina joined the Gut Microbiota for Health publishing team in 2014.  Find her on: Google • Twitter

At the end of 2017, GMFH celebrated its 5th anniversary. As a wrap-up of this celebration, we asked members of our Gut Microbiota for Health board of experts to share their thoughts, on video, about these 5 years in which they contributed toward increased knowledge about the gut microbiota and its role in health, and made the initiative what it’s…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

At the end of 2017, GMFH celebrated its 5th anniversary. As a wrap-up of this celebration, we asked members of our Gut Microbiota for Health board of experts to share their thoughts, on video, about these 5 years in which they contributed toward increased knowledge about the gut microbiota and its role in health, and made the initiative what it’s…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Research & Practice

Studies exploring the neonatal microbiome during early life have been performed mainly in the hospital setting, with both mode of delivery and antibiotics having the most profound impact on the microbiome. However, the development of the neonatal microbiome in the absence of routine hospital interventions during delivery has not yet been studied. A new study, led by Prof. Maria Gloria…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Studies exploring the neonatal microbiome during early life have been performed mainly in the hospital setting, with both mode of delivery and antibiotics having the most profound impact on the microbiome. However, the development of the neonatal microbiome in the absence of routine hospital interventions during delivery has not yet been studied. A new study, led by Prof. Maria Gloria…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Previous research has suggested the gut microbiota's role in the risk of developing metabolic and immune-related disorders later in life. However, no studies have characterized the early-life gut microbiome longitudinally in large populations. Three recent studies shed light on how early-life gut microbiota composition might help identify which children are at risk of developing obesity and type 1 diabetes later…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Previous research has suggested the gut microbiota's role in the risk of developing metabolic and immune-related disorders later in life. However, no studies have characterized the early-life gut microbiome longitudinally in large populations. Three recent studies shed light on how early-life gut microbiota composition might help identify which children are at risk of developing obesity and type 1 diabetes later…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The current antibiotic resistance epidemic is reaching levels higher than previously reported. And the roots of this epidemic can be found not only in an increase in outpatient antibiotic use, but also on the high proportions of resistant bacteria transmitted from food-producing animals. The effects of antibiotics on human gut bacterial diversity is of particular relevance during early life. It…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

The current antibiotic resistance epidemic is reaching levels higher than previously reported. And the roots of this epidemic can be found not only in an increase in outpatient antibiotic use, but also on the high proportions of resistant bacteria transmitted from food-producing animals. The effects of antibiotics on human gut bacterial diversity is of particular relevance during early life. It…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Emerging research is focusing on the study of the oral microbiome for predicting diseases, as it has been related not only with oral health but also as an indicator for screening and monitoring Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Even though the oral microbiome is not currently included in the GMFH list of topics, we need to keep up-to-date with…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Emerging research is focusing on the study of the oral microbiome for predicting diseases, as it has been related not only with oral health but also as an indicator for screening and monitoring Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis patients. Even though the oral microbiome is not currently included in the GMFH list of topics, we need to keep up-to-date with…

GMFH Editing Team
GMFH Editing Team

Gut microbial colonization during early life influences human physiology, including the maturation of the immune system, nutrient absorption and metabolism, and the prevention of pathogen colonization. Although extensive microbial colonization of neonates begins postpartum, the source and transmission routes by which an infant acquires maternal microbes is poorly understood. Two recent studies published in Cell Host Microbe have provided a…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados

Gut microbial colonization during early life influences human physiology, including the maturation of the immune system, nutrient absorption and metabolism, and the prevention of pathogen colonization. Although extensive microbial colonization of neonates begins postpartum, the source and transmission routes by which an infant acquires maternal microbes is poorly understood. Two recent studies published in Cell Host Microbe have provided a…

Andreu Prados
Andreu Prados holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Pharmacy & Human Nutrition and Dietetics. Science writer specialised in gut microbiota and probiotics, working also as lecturer and consultant in nutrition and healthcare. Follow Andreu on Twitter @andreuprados