Gut health disclosed: electrochemical sensors to assess protein fermentation

Francesca Leonardi

IMEC, Lovaina, Netherlands

Monday 22 Apr 2024

10:00 AM

Sala d'actes Matgas

Abstract:

The gut microbiome plays a crucial role in various diseases and in (gut) health. The microbiota mainly interacts with the host through products of fermentation, e.g. short-chain fatty acids, in case of carbohydrate fermentation, or hydrogen sulfide, phenols, and ammonia, in case of protein fermentation. ‘Western diets’ (low dietary fiber and/or high protein) promote a shift towards protein fermentation. Whereas carbohydrate (e.g. fiber) fermentation is beneficial for the gut, limited data on protein fermentation suggest a detrimental effect, stimulating a pro-inflammatory environment. Tools to assess these metabolites in vivo are still lacking.
This presentation introduces the ‘Ingestibles for Gut Health’ program of the OnePlanet Research Centre that is focusing on the prevention and monitoring of gut related diseases by means of ingestible sensors.

Short bio:

Francesca Leonardi received her PhD in early 2014 from the University of Bologna working on organic field effect transistors. Afterwards, she joined the Graphene flagship for one year in the group of Vincenzo Palermo,
In 2015, she moved to ICMAB as a postdoctoral researcher in the group of Marta Mas Torrent working on sensors based on solution coated organic field effect transistors. In 2019, she joined IMEC the Netherlands working on the gut health program.

Hosted by Marta Mas, ICMAB-CSIC