Personalized Gut Microbiome Engineering in Precision Medicine  

Presenter: Kelly McGuill

Faculty Sponsor: Reena Randhir

School: Springfield Technical Community College

Research Area: Biology

Session: Poster Session 2, 11:30 AM - 12:15 PM, Auditorium, A36

ABSTRACT

A significant finding regarding medical treatments is reflected in the saying 'one size does not fit all'. Two people can eat the same food but report different metabolic and physiological reactions. This variation shows the importance of personalized strategies for health. An innovative method is personalized gut microbiome engineering (GME) for gut and immune health. This research presents a literature review of recent peer-reviewed research using ScienceDirect database to study personalized microbiome engineering and its benefits.
Studies show that GME has potential to address various diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and some digestive disorders. Preclinical studies show that GME in probiotic bacteria Escherichia coli and Lactococcus lactis can detect intestinal inflammation and release anti-inflammatory substances such as cytokine interleukin-10 to treat inflammatory bowel disease. Another example includes bacterial strains that produce N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines to reduce appetite and manage obesity in animal models. SYNB1618 is an engineered E. coli Nissle strain for phenylketonuria (PKU) that is designed to degrade phenylalanine in the intestines and reduce absorption into the bloodstream. This approach may support digestive and immune function by reducing disease-related metabolites. Since GME can analyze an individual’s microbiome and test therapeutic strains against patient-specific samples before use, it can reduce side effects. Recent studies suggests its potential role in  colorectal cancer treatments. Overall, personalized GME is a promising precision medicine strategy with the potential to transform prevention and treatment across multiple body systems.

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