Research Projects

Functional gastrointestinal (FGI) disorders are common and chronic public health issues affecting the GI tract, causing symptoms such as intestinal inflammation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, metabolic disorders, and malabsorption. The pathophysiology of FGI disorders is unclear, but evidence suggests dysregulation of gut-brain interaction, mucosal immune system malfunction, altered gut microbiota, dysbiotic gut, and enteric inflammation are crucial factors in disease etiology. Mast cells activation and upregulation of IL-33 have been observed in FGID, particularly in IBS. The intestinal epithelium is coated with a gel-like layer called mucosa, which serves as a protective barrier for epithelial cells and an ecological niche for gut microbiota. As the gut microbiome coevolved with the host, resident microorganisms influence the structure, composition, and properties of the mucus layer. Any change in mucin structure affects the composition and diversity of gut microbial diversity, shifting mucosal microbiota towards mucin degrading bacteria that erode the mucin layer. A natural approach to GI disorders is more promising, as food and dietary components affect gut microbial diversity and mucin composition and functionality. Modulating mucin gene expression through a specialized diet could be a novel preventive and therapeutic strategy. This project aims to investigate the effect of different cereal grains and their bioactive components on mucin degrading bacteria dynamics and modulate the host's mucin gene expression and secretion through functional food formulation and mucosal microbiome interactions.