Advancing gut microbiome testing for use in clinical practice, with Dr. Gianluca Ianiro MD PhD

This episode features Dr. Gianluca Ianiro MD PhD, a gastroenterologist from the Fondazione A. Gemelli IRCCS and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Rome (Italy), speaking about how to advance gut microbiome testing for use in medicine. His interest in the gut microbiome began with the clinical observation that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was remarkably […]

Archive Highlight: Human milk oligosaccharides in the infant gut, with Dr. Simone Renwick PhD

In this episode, the ISAPP hosts discuss human milk and the infant gut with Dr. Simone Renwick PhD from Mother-Milk-Infant Center of Research Excellence (MOMI CORE) at UC San Diego, USA. Dr. Renwick talks about her work investigating how communities of microbes versus individual microbes in the infant gut metabolize human milk oligosaccharide (HMO) structures, […]

Prof. Kelly Swanson holding a microphone and speaking in front of a screen that shows the ISAPP logo.

ISAPP Board Scientist Honored by American Society for Nutrition as Inaugural Fellow

Prof. Kelly Swanson PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a nutrition scientist from the ISAPP board of directors, has been named among 55 inaugural Excellence in Nutrition Fellows by the American Society for Nutrition (ASN). The Excellence in Nutrition recognition program was established this year to honor major contributions in advancing nutrition science and […]

Woman in clinic room looking at a doctor who is holding out two types of probiotic products

Exploring resources to inform probiotic recommendations: New UK Probiotic Guide Released

Well-informed healthcare professionals know the importance of recommending evidence-based probiotic products to their patients to achieve specific health benefits. But finding the available evidence and matching it with specific products available on the market can be challenging. Moreover, not all of the studies on probiotic products are high-quality, making the evidence difficult to assess. Clinical […]

How a non-industrialized diet affects gut microbes and health, with Dr. Anissa Armet PhD RD

This episode features Dr. Anissa Armet PhD RD from the University of Alberta in Canada, speaking about the impact of diet on both the gut microbiota and overall health. Dr. Armet, a registered dietitian and researcher, says the Western diet along with the associated gut microbiome changes have played a role (amongst other things) in […]

Interactions of polyphenols in the gut, with Prof. Yves Desjardins PhD

This episode features Prof. Yves Desjardins PhD from Laval University in Canada. Prof. Desjardins, an agrologist by training, explains that polyphenols are metabolites synthesized by plants and present in the plant foods we consume. When humans consume polyphenols, we absorb a small fraction (around 5%) of them in the upper gastrointestinal tract, but most of […]

The interplay between gut microbiota, diet, and circadian rhythms, with Dr. Vanessa Leone PhD

This episode features Dr. Vanessa Leone PhD from the University of Wisconsin – Madison on how gut microbes and eating patterns impact the host circadian system and overall health. In mouse models, Dr. Leone has found that in a 24-hour period, minor changes occur in the composition of the gut microbiota, while more important changes […]

New paper summarizes current findings from global research on the vaginal microbiota

Knowledge about the vaginal microbiota is important for women’s health worldwide, but the majority of the research to date has centered around women of European descent, with limited data from across different genetic, cultural, environmental, and health conditions. A new paper led by ISAPP board member Prof. Sarah Lebeer PhD, published in Trends in Microbiology, […]

How to respond to the question “Should I take a probiotic?”

By Dr. Mary Ellen Sanders PhD and Prof. Daniel Merenstein MD A Washington Post article published March 11, 2025 by a gastroenterologist addressed a question posed by a reader: “I’ve heard about the benefits of probiotics for years. Should I start taking them?” We both get this question frequently, and over the years have answered […]

An overview of precision fermentation, with Prof. William Chen PhD

This episode features Prof. William Chen from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, speaking with the ISAPP hosts about precision fermentation. In Singapore, enhancing national food security is of interest and one of the technologies used to achieve this is precision fermentation. Prof. Chen describes the differences between traditional fermentation, biomass fermentation, and precision fermentation. In […]