Techniques
- Culturing and isolation of aerobes and strict anaerobes
- Identification and phenotypic characterisation – from phenotyping to molecular testing and genome sequencing
- Study and characterisation of the composition and function of the gut microbiota using classical culturing and culture-independent techniques (PCR, hybridisation, NGS techniques)
- Studies on the production of metabolites by gut bacteria (organic acids, short-chain fatty acids, etc.)
- Models of microorganism-host interactions: studies of adhesion to mucus and epithelial cells, pathogen inhibition, effects on gene expression in cell lines, effects on epithelial integrity, etc.
Experimental work
- Isolation/selection, identification and characterisation of potential probiotic microbes for applications and/or specific hosts
- Design and undertaking of observational studies: gathering and analysing data on the composition/function of the microbiota, biochemical and immunological variables, and information on dietary habits
- Design and undertaking of intervention studies for assessing the functionality of prebiotics and probiotics