Brisbane-based gut health testing specialists, Microba, have contributed to a groundbreaking research study at Curtin University in Western Australia examining the possible links between infant gut microbiome composition and the development of allergies.
Microba awarded Curtin University PhD Candidate, Jacquelyn Jones with a $10,000 research grant to empower her research with a team from multiple research institutions.
For the first time, a team of researchers will examine the impact of prebiotic supplementation in maternal diet during pregnancy and breastfeeding to prevent allergic diseases in babies.
Microba is supporting a sub-study to perform a detailed analysis of the gut microbiome of some infants to track how the prebiotics given to their mothers during pregnancy may have an impact on their baby’s microbiome. Detailed analysis of the infant gut microbiome may identify gut-derived factors that influence the healthy development of the infant immune system.
The study utilises some of the stool samples from participants enrolled in the SYMBA study, operating out of the Joondalup Health Campus in Western Australia as part of the ORIGINS Birth Cohort Project.
Microba CEO Blake Wills said that the research grants were awarded to three shortlisted candidates, with the aim of seeing a tangible impact through investment in clinical research.
“At Microba, we are focused on making a global impact in gut health and overall health,” he said.
“We are committed to empowering Australian researchers to find the best ways to improve gut health for Australians and, in turn, the world.”
PhD candidate Jacquelyn Jones said that “it is our hope that this study will show us how the infant gut microbiome develops and how autoimmune diseases such as allergy occur throughout this process.
“To better understand the interactions that can occur in response to therapeutic intervention such as prebiotics, we will capture this data which will assist us in interpreting the shifts in this complex system.”
Microba continues to partner with local and international groups to assist with groundbreaking research to bring their mission of ‘Bringing science to life’ and making a real impact across the globe to fruition.
