Metabolic diseases from the point of view of the gut bacterial motility and mucus barrier
MEDMOTILUS aims to uncover the alterations of gut mucus/microbiota homeostasis in metabolic diseases and therapeutic targets using human data and animal models. It will fill research gaps in the multiple scenarios of metabolic diseases, one of the greatest threats to human health. The gut microbiota is a key environmental factor of these diseases, and its modulation is a potential treatment. However, the host-microbiota interactions are far from being fully described. The gut mucus barrier is a host spatial control that plays a crucial role in the microbiota regulation but poorly understood. Diet and medicines may affect this defense and, thus, improving metabolism and reducing gut bacterial motility, whose increase is linked to health disorders even without serious infections. However, there is no in-depth bacterial motility characterization in metabolic diseases and no data on mucus features nor on its effect on bacteria in these diseases. So, the overall research goal of MEDMOTILUS is to provide evidence of the impact of gut bacterial motility and mucus in metabolic diseases as key factors involving dysbiosis, mucus features, and metabolic status. MEDMOTILUS takes a multidisciplinary approach. It will go beyond the current state-of-the-art by using original input data (bacterial motility from modeling and mucus features) with multi-omic approaches (also metabolomics and metagenomics). Several potential solutions acting on mucus will be assessed in mice. The use of human data already generated and animal models (mice and a new pig model) will allow me to identify robust and useful biomarkers of the gut mucus/microbiota homeostasis in metabolic diseases for further research on diagnosis and monitoring to reduce long-term complications and deaths. At the level of my career, MEDMOTILUS will allow me to enhance my research profile and network, strongly impacting my chances of achieving my long-term goal to become a Professor and develop a prolific scientific career.