April 8, 2019 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) describes a diverse range of symptoms from constipation to diarrhea. Researchers are figuring out the science behind the different symptoms and classifying them into subtypes in a way that affects the course of treatment. ETP spoke with Dr. Mark...
April 1, 2019 A growing number of research studies are linking the microbiome to multiple diseases. Having the right balance of different species of bacteria is critical for good health. But, what happens when it gets out of whack? That’s what scientists are currently teasing apart. ...
March 25, 2019 Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, develops when there is acute or chronic inflammation in the intestine. Scientists have determined that there are both genetic and environmental factors that can lead to IBD. One of those environmental factors...
March 18, 2019 As humans, we rely on a symbiotic relationship with the microbes around us for good health. Our relationship with the microbes starts the instant we are born (or rather during delivery to be more specific) and then continues to be affected by a...
March 11, 2019 Unless you’ve gone out to eat for the experience, a swanky restaurant with a view and ambiance, it’s all too easy to ignore the surroundings and focus on the food. While food is obviously the main attraction when it comes to meal times,...
March 4, 2019 The feats we’ve accomplished by bringing biology and engineering together are nothing short of impressive. Recent technological advancements have brought together gut microbes, immune cells, intestinal epithelial cells, and mechanical forces in a laboratory setting in a way that accurately models the intestine...
February 25, 2019 The gut microbiome plays a large role in how we eat, from when we feel full to what foods we crave. Now that we understand some of the science behind the interaction between our guts and the microbes, scientists are seeing a link...
February 18, 2019 For more than a decade, scientists suspected that gut bacteria played a significant role in obesity. Recent research by Dr. Gerald Shulman and colleagues sheds some light on the connection to obesity and possible therapeutic interventions! The connection involves gut bacteria, the gut-brain axis,...
February 11, 2019 The intestine is an extremely complex organ. There are the muscle cells that control motility, the immune cells that protect against pathogens, the symbiotic microbes, and the enteric (or intestinal) nervous system that sends and receives signals from the brain. And then, there...
February 4, 2019 There is a highway for communication between the gut and the brain that allows messages to be sent in both directions. It’s called the gut-brain axis. A frequent sender of messages along the highway is the community of microbes in the gut. They...