Chemical diversity in the gut microbiota of pregnant and lactating women from Antioquia-Colombia: Nutritional metabolomics for biomarker discovery

To date, gut microbiome populations have been associated only with not beneficial choline metabolism, like those related to trimethylamine N-oxide formation. But in this research, it is hypothesized that other mechanisms must be involved in the fates of free choline released from dietary sources. To explore these microbial communities associated to beneficial choline metabolism rendering acetylcholine, betaine, and phosphatidylcholine, with the goal of using this knowledge to combat undernutrition problems during pregnancy and lactation, where choline plays an essential role. This project aims to make the first approach towards the ecological and chemical characterization of the gut microbiota of mothers from Antioquia, Colombia. We propose to apply state-of-the-art metabolomic technologies and data analysis tools developed in the Dr. Britz-Mckibin lab in order to identify a panel of stool derived metabolite signatures associated with a beneficial choline metabolism. This work will discover novel biomarkers for assessing adequate choline intake and maternal and childhood nutritional status. Furthermore, this study aims to determine if there may be a possibility of gut microbiome’s modulation towards the distribution of taxonomic groups that benefit choline metabolism in women during pregnancy and lactation.

Faculty Supervisor:

Philip Britz-McKibbin

Student:

Partner:

Universidad EAFIT

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

McMaster University

Program: