Uncovering how the microbiome shapes human health to drive therapeutic innovation.
The Microbiome Mechanisms in Health & Disease group investigates how gut microbial communities influence host physiology, aiming to uncover the mechanisms that link the microbiome to health and disease. We are particularly interested in how microbiota-driven processes affect metabolism, immune regulation, and disease progression.
Our current research focuses on the interplay between the gut microbiota and host tryptophan metabolism. Tryptophan is a key amino acid involved in immune homeostasis, and its metabolic pathways are frequently altered in conditions such as cancer and inflammatory bowel disease. Although gut microbes are known to modulate tryptophan metabolism, the specific microbial contributors and molecular mechanisms remain largely undefined.
We apply a multidisciplinary approach that integrates animal models, microbial and host functional assays, patient-derived data, and computational analysis. Our goal is to elucidate the microbial and mechanistic drivers of altered tryptophan metabolism, advancing our understanding of host–microbiome interactions and identifying new targets for therapeutic intervention.
PRESENTATION
GET TO KNOW US BETTER
RESEARCH STAFF
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT ALL POSSIBLE
Ana Djukovic
adjukovic@cipf.es
María Dolores Martínez Rubio
mdmartinez@cipf.es
PUBLICATIONS
OUR SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS
Oral bacteria relative abundance in faeces increases due to gut microbiota depletion and is linked with patient outcomes.
Nature Microbiology 2024 Jun, DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01680-3, Vol. 9, pag. 1555-1565
The TaxUMAP atlas: Efficient display of large clinical microbiome data reveals ecological competition in protection against bacteremia.
Cell Host & Microbe 2023 Jul, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.027, Vol. 31, pag.
Lactobacillus supports Clostridiales to restrict gut colonization by multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.
Nature Communications 2022 Sep, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33313-w, Vol. 13, pag. 5617-5617
