MICROBE HOST INTERACTION LABORATORY

Microbe Host Interaction Laboratory targets at finding solutions for diagnostics and prevention of mucosal damage and microbiota disturbances associated with intestinal disorders.

Intestinal microbiota and its’ interaction with the host immune cells has a pivotal role in intestinal homeostasis. Intestinal complications and severe intestinal inflammation occur frequently in stem cell transplantation patients. As an example acute graft versus host disease is an immunological complication affecting frequently the intestine and other mucosal sites of patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplantation.

The special focus of the Therapeutic Microbes group is to create a basis for the supportive therapies related to the stem cell transplantations by better understanding of the role of intestinal microbiota changes and host-microbe interaction. Discovery of microbe-based innovations for improving intestinal barrier function and personalised microbiota stabilisation enables new strategies for maintaining intestinal health.

Microbe Host Interaction Laboratory serves research and development projects both within the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service and in external collaborations.

Unique expertise

Microbe Host Interaction Laboratory  employs a staff of 7 scientists (5 post doctoral level) and 3 technicians with a solid background in both academy and industry. Collectively we have published over 130 scientific publications in peer reviewed journals in the fields of intestinal microbiology, beneficial microbes, microbe-host interaction and bioinformatics.

Technology platform

The technology platform consists of the expertise and methodology for

• in vitro models for the analysis of microbe-host cell (epithelial and immune cell) and microbe-glycan interaction
• characterization of FRCBS bacterial strains and bacterial cell surface structures
• unique methodology for analytics of bacterial cell surface proteome (in collaboration with the Cell   Surface Analytics laboratory)
• DNA-based assessment of intestinal microbiota composition from intestinal samples and combining the microbiota profile data to host genetic and host pathophysiology data multivariate data analysis

“We believe that microbe-based solutions will open new avenues for improving the intestinal health of stem cell transplantation patients.”

Dr. Pirjo Wacklin, R&D Manager, Microbe Host Interaction Laboratory