Spoonful of Science:Serving Up Nutrition Knowledge

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a challenging gastrointestinal condition that affects 1 in 5 adults in the UK. Dietary fibre has a complex role in managing IBS symptoms, as different types of fibre can have distinct effects on the gut. Fibres that have interesting gel-forming properties can help regulate bowel movements, serve as prebiotics by providing food for beneficial bacteria in the gut and improve overall gut health. Learn more about the “Up-town” funky fibres in your gut work – "don’t believe me, come watch!"

Several opportunistic pathogens make Vitamin B12, and our interest was to see if we could “trick” a few organisms to instead try and use an inactive form of the molecule. We found that Cutibacterium acnes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are inhibited by a few forms of this molecule, which we hope to make into more active compounds to treat diseases like B12-dependent acne and Pseudomonas infections.

We know that diet can influence health in many ways, right from the earliest days of development. A key player in this relationship is the placenta, which manages nutrients passed from the mother to the embryo. Our research explores patterns of genetic programming in the placenta and how it changes under different conditions. What is unique about the programming in the placenta? And can we see any changes with early life nutrition?