Gut Microbiome/Biomarker Dynamics and Patient Lifestyle Factors in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Multipronged Approach to Disease Prediction and Treatment

Principal Investigator: Eric Alm, MIT

Project Summary

We have launched a multifaceted research project investigating the relationships between the human gut microbiome, inflammatory bowel disease, and diet. To this end, we have developed a high-resolution, longitudinal multi-omic pipeline to monitor patients with IBD, to build predictive models of disease dynamics. We are also investigating the effects of IBD and role of diet in gut microbial community composition, and have established a computational pipeline to support the generation and  analysis of microbiome data in clinical trials. As a foundational resource not only for this work, but for the greater research community, we are isolating and archiving gut bacteria from diverse human populations around the world, including many non-industrialized communities. More information on this effort can be found here: Global Microbiome Conservancy.