Aberdeen-based biotechnology company NCIMB is collaborating with the pioneering Rowett Institute to develop a tool that will improve understanding of microbes that have important roles in human health and disease, and support development of new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, liver disease and cancer. The work has received funding from Innovate UK.

Scientists have been exploring the role of gut bacteria in human health for many years and it has now been established that the microbes within our gut – the gut microbiome - not only aid the digestion of food, but also play an important role in protecting us from disease. They have even been linked to mental health. This knowledge has led to the development of a myriad of new “good” bacteria-containing food supplements and probiotics that aim to improve gut health, but there is also huge potential for the use of microbes to prevent and even treat disease.

The Rowett Institute is renowned for its pioneering research on the gut microbiome, and NCIMB offers a range of specialist microbiome services that support the development of new products and treatments. The two organisations have come together in a Knowledge Transfer Partnership supported by Innovate UK to develop a pre-clinical model that will be used to screen and test microbes for their suitability as probiotics and therapeutics.

Dr Samantha Law, curator of NCIMB’s extensive microbial culture collection explained more about their collaboration: “Microorganisms could form the basis of life-changing new therapeutic treatments, but while there have been great advances in our understanding arising from technology developments that have made it much easier to “see” the composition of bacteria that exist within the gut, studying their behaviour and activity within this complex environment remains a challenge for our microbiome customers.  

The availability of a laboratory model that mimics the gut barrier interface would make it much easier to study microorganisms in vitro, and select those which show most promise for further development in improving health. The Rowett’s track record in this area make them ideal project partners, and this collaboration will help us to realise the potential of our unique microbial culture collection and build on the range of services we can offer our microbiome customers.”

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships connect businesses that have an innovation idea with the academic expertise required to help deliver it. Dr Edward Devlin has been appointed as KTP Associate to manage the project and will be working between the two organisations.

Dr Silvia Gratz, Senior Research Fellow at the Rowett institute said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with NCIMB to develop a model for studying the behaviour and impact of microbes within the human gut. The model will have an important role in microbiome research, and deliver a number of benefits including a reduction in the need for animal testing, and ultimately the availability of improved treatments and beneficial products”.