Project Grant 20207041032908

DIETARY MODULATION OF THE GUT MICROBIOTA REPRESENTS AN EXCITING NEW STRATEGY FOR DISEASE PREVENTION. UNFORTUNATELY, THE KNOWLEDGE GAP FOR HOW FOOD COMPONENTS INTERACT WITH THE MICROBIOME TO INFLUENCE HEALTH AND DISEASE IS SIGNIFICANT, AND VERY FEW DIETARY INTERVENTIONS ARE AVAILABLE WITH WELL-ESTABLISHED EFFICACY TO JUSTIFY THEIR USE. THE NEBRASKA FOOD FOR HEALTH CENTER (NFHC) IS WORKING TO OVERCOME THIS KNOWLEDGE GAP BY USING A SYSTEMATIC COMBINATION OF GENETIC AND BIOCHEMICAL APPROACHES IN VITRO TO CATALOGUE COMPONENTS FROM FOOD CROPS THAT HAVE MICROBIOME-STIMULATING ACTIVITY. WHILE CLINICAL EVALUATION OF CANDIDATE FOOD CROP COMPONENTS REMAINS THE PRIMARY APPROACH FOR ESTABLISHING EFFICACY, PRE-CLINICAL EVALUATION OF CANDIDATES IN GERM-FREE MICE CARRYING HUMAN STOOL MICROBIOMES PROVIDES A POWERFUL MEANS TO FOCUS ON CANDIDATES WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS. SUCH PRE-CLINICAL SCREENING DEPENDS ON SPECIALIZED RESOURCES AND EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING ACCESS TO GNOTOBIOTIC MOUSE MODELS AND THE ABILITY TO MAINTAIN STRICT CONTROL OVER THE MICROORGANISMS COLONIZING THE MICE. TO EXPAND THE PRE-CLINICAL CAPACITY OF THE NEBRASKA GNOTOBIOTIC MOUSE FACILITY (NGMF), WE PROPOSE THE PURCHASE OF A TECHNIPLAST ISOCAGE P SYSTEM, A REVOLUTIONARY NEW MOUSE HOUSING SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS STUDIES IN MICE UNDER THE STRICT ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR MICROBIOME RESEARCH, BUT AT HIGHER THROUGHPUT WITH LESS LABOR THAN TRADITIONAL GNOTOBIOTIC ISOLATORS. THE ISOCAGE SYSTEM, IN COMBINATION WITH THE EXTENSIVE EXPERTISE OF THE NGMF STAFF, WILL ACCELERATE NFHC'S MISSION TO IDENTIFY FOOD MOLECULES THAT MODULATE THE GUT MICROBIOME TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND SUPPORT USDA'S GOAL TO "IMPROVE NUTRITIONAL QUALITY... WITH USEFUL BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE FOOD COMPOUNDS TO ENHANCE HUMAN HEALTH.