Welcoming ISAPP’s newest board member, Dr. Geoffrey Preidis MD PhD

At the 2024 annual scientific meeting in Cork, Ireland, the ISAPP board welcomed its newest member, Dr. Geoffrey Preidis MD PhD of Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital. ISAPP President Prof. Maria Marco PhD says, “We are thrilled to have Dr Preidis on our board. He is a great colleague and brings scientific […]

ISAPP Board Welcomes New President, Prof. Maria Marco PhD

At the ISAPP 2024 annual meeting in July, the ISAPP board of directors ushered in the beginning of the next leadership term, with the role of President being taken on by Prof. Maria Marco PhD from UC Davis (USA). Prof. Marco had served the previous three years as Vice President while Prof. Dan Merenstein MD […]

I come to praise ISAPP, not to bury it: Reflections on 15 years as a board member

By Prof. Colin Hill PhD, University College Cork I have been a Board member of ISAPP since 2009, serving as President from 2012 to 2015. This year, following our successful annual meeting in my home city of Cork, I have decided to step down and make way for new blood. It is normal when a […]

Audience observing panel on probiotics for preterm infants

Expert Panel at ISAPP Annual Meeting Addresses Probiotic Use for Premature Infants

By Marla Cunningham, ISAPP Executive Director The use of probiotics in premature infants has been highly topical in recent months. Probiotic use for the prevention of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants has been studied in over 65 randomised clinical trials, with systematic reviews showing significant reductions in NEC as well as all cause mortality. […]

Episode 38: Microbes that break down mucus and milk to benefit the host, with Dr. Clara Belzer PhD

We discuss microbes, mucus, and milk with Dr. Clara Belzer PhD from Wageningen University in the Netherlands in this episode. Dr. Belzer, a molecular geneticist, specializes in studying the microorganisms that are equipped to break down the glycans in mucus and human milk within the host environment. Key topics from this episode: Dr. Belzer’s research […]

Should everyone take a probiotic? Assessment of evidence of probiotics for healthy people

By Prof. Daniel Merenstein MD and Dr. Mary Ellen Sanders PhD During the ISAPP 2024 meeting, an article titled, “Is there evidence to support probiotic use for healthy people?” was published. The authors concluded, “…we did not find a high level of evidence to support recommendations for other endpoints we reviewed for healthy people. Although […]

Can we estimate prebiotic effects from short-chain fatty acid production?

By Prof. Kristin Verbeke PhD, KU Leuven Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), primarily acetate, propionate and butyrate, are the most abundant anions in the large intestine. They are mainly produced from bacterial fermentation of undigested carbohydrates. Since SCFA were found to activate the orphan G-protein coupled receptors GPR-41 and 43 (renamed as free fatty acid receptor […]

Episode 37: Targeting the gut microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease, with Prof. Harry Sokol MD PhD

The ISAPP hosts discuss the microbiome in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with leading expert Prof. Harry Sokol MD PhD, who is Professor of Gastroenterology at Saint Antoine Hospital and has positions with Sorbonne University and the Micalis Institute, INRAE in Paris, France. Sokol talks about the specific gut bacteria that seem to be important in […]

Can prebiotics benefit brain health in older adults? ISAPP experts weigh in on a recent study

With increasing age and frailty come changes in the gut microbiota – leading scientists to ask whether targeting the gut microbiota using prebiotics could contribute to healthier aging. Of particular interest is whether prebiotics have the potential to affect brain health and cognitive performance in older adults. An intervention study led by researchers at King’s […]

Episode 36: Uncovering the mechanisms of sorbitol intolerance, with Dr. Jee-Yon Lee MD PhD

This episode features Jee-Yon Lee MD PhD, assistant project scientist at the University of California Davis, USA, speaking about a recent paper on the mechanisms of sorbitol intolerance and the contributions of the gut microbiota. Dr. Lee explains how gut microbes in the large intestine can drive sorbitol intolerance, and how their research group designed […]