Projektdaten

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Microbial colonization and dissection of microbe-host interaction in a dynamic gut-on-chip model

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Microbial consortia of the human gut are extremely diverse, individualized and essential for host health and fitness. However, gut microbiomes also contain opportunistic pathogens, such as the fungus Candida albicans, which can cause disease when the microbiome is disturbed. Choice of diet and antibiotic use, removing the protective microbiome, can enrich C. albicans and cause overgrowth, predisposing individuals for systemic infections. In fact, the gut is the main source of life-threatening C. albicans infections. In this project, which is part of the Excellence Cluster “Balance of the Microverse” (Research Area B, Project B4), a Gut-on-Chip model will be established to investigate the processes and dynamics of interactions of C. albicans with antagonistic bacteria and human intestinal epithelial cells thereby providing the basis to elucidate the principles of balances and dysbalances of gut microbial communities containing opportunistic pathogenic fungi.