Canada 2018 Canada Grant Winner

The human gut is involved in shaping and maintaining the normal function of the immune system. We have recently identified microbes that are associated with a higher risk of developing Crohn’s disease (CD).

However the causal implication of these microbes in disease onset is not known. In this work we inoculated recipient germ free mice with stool from donor initially healthy that later develop CD (pre-CD), as well as matched individual that remained healthy (HC) during the same period of time.

Our analysis showed that pre-CD microbiota increased levels of fecal lipocalin-2 (a marker of gut inflammation) compared to mice receiving stool from HC. This study suggests that a pre-CD microbiota promote gut inflammation. This study will led to new therapeutic opportunity to prevent the onset of disease by targeting causal microbiome involved in the onset of Crohn’s disease

Words from Dr William Turpin 

"The Biocodex microbiota foundation gave me a unique capacity to demonstrate experimentally my hypothesis. I am very thankful to the Foundation, as this opportunity taught me how to design, execute, plan, anticipate, and interpret my very own project."