A new Denmark-based research
initiative aims to establish a potential causal link between the
gut microbiome – the combined genetic material of the communities
of bacteria and other microbes in the human gut – and the
development of cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) such as obesity, type
2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. The goal is to generate
knowledge that can lead to new prevention or treatment options for
people living with, or at risk of, CMD.
COPENHAGEN, Denmark, May 22, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- The Novo Nordisk Foundation has committed
DKK 150 million (USD 22 million) for the first phase of the
Microbiome Health Initiative, a virtual research centre anchored at
the Technical University of Denmark
(DTU), north of Copenhagen.
Professor Fredrik Bäckhed from the
University of Gothenburg will be
employed part-time at DTU to lead the initiative, with Professor
Tine Rask Licht from DTU National
Food Institute as co-Director.
Research has already shown associations between several gut
bacteria or metabolites – substances produced by microbes – and
CMD. In Phase 1, the initiative will therefore focus on
collaborative research projects that investigate the specific
effects of these bacteria or metabolites and advance understanding
on how microbiome interventions could reduce the risk of CMD or
help manage it. This phase will run from 2024-2028.
"Our task is to verify a causal connection between the
intestinal microbiome and diseases such as cardiovascular disease
and diabetes," says Professor Licht.
"These links have been partially elucidated in laboratory trials
and animal experiments, but there is yet no solid evidence of
causal relationships in humans. Once we have this knowledge, the
next step in the project will be to find and develop new strategies
to treat or prevent these major diseases. Such new strategies will
rely on modification of our gut microbiome, for example by adding
new microbes, or new dietary components."
The initiative also involves leading scientists at the
University of Copenhagen, Amsterdam
University Medical Centre, and the Weizmann Institute of Science in
Israel, and clinicians at Odense
University Hospital and Steno Diabetes Centre Copenhagen. Together,
they cover a broad range of disciplines, including microbial
physiology, bioinformatics, aetiology of CMD, and human
interventions.
While DTU's strength in the project is research into the impact
of diet on the structure and activity of the human microbiome, the
other research centres in the initiative have extensive expertise
in CMD research, microbiome research, and translation into clinical
settings.
"The interdisciplinary approach of the project makes it possible
to coordinate research between the strongest international
environments," says Professor Bäckhed. "It is unique that we can
coordinate efforts between universities and hospitals to develop
the most promising treatment concepts."
'A whole new set of tools'
Despite major advances in research and treatment, the prevalence of
CMD has doubled in the last 30 years. This group of conditions –
including obesity and type 2 diabetes – and associated
complications such as heart attack and stroke are now the leading
cause of death worldwide.
Also in the last years, advances in microbiome research have led
to new understanding regarding the impact of microbes and their
metabolic output on human physiology, immunity, and disease
processes. In the case of CMD, evidence strongly suggests that the
gut microbiome – partly due to the metabolites the microbes produce
– plays a critical role, and that by making small changes,
individuals could reduce their risk of, for example, developing
diabetes or suffering a heart attack. This initiative aims to
generate significant new knowledge that, in the future, could lead
to approved microbiome-based solutions such as supplements or
improved dietary guidance to prevent or treat CMD.
"The Danish microbiome research field is strong but, in order to
take the critical next steps, we need an ambitious,
interdisciplinary approach that also includes leading international
experts," says Birgitte Holst,
Scientific Director in Medical Science at the Novo Nordisk
Foundation.
"If this initiative succeeds in establishing a causal link
between the microbiome and CMD, it could lead to a whole new set of
tools for managing these devastating diseases and help resolve a
major global health challenge."
Phase 2, which is subject to approval following a mid-term
evaluation of Phase 1, would run from 2026-2030. In this phase, the
initiative would support human intervention studies and invest in
infrastructure to support the development of microbes, microbial
compounds, or targeted supplements for therapeutic purposes.
Editor's Notes
About DTU National Food Institute
DTU National Food Institute conducts research into and
disseminates - through advice, innovation and teaching -
sustainable and value-creating solutions in the area of food and
health for the benefit of society. The DTU National Food
institute's vision is to make a difference by generating future
prosperity through research into food and health. The institute
prevents disease and promotes health, develops new and better food
products for a growing population and creates sustainable
technological solutions. The institute's tasks are carried out in a
unique interdisciplinary cooperation in e.g. nutrition, chemistry,
toxicology, microbiology, epidemiology, modelling and
technology.
About the Novo Nordisk Foundation
Established in Denmark in 1924,
the Novo Nordisk Foundation is an enterprise foundation with
philanthropic objectives. The vision of the Foundation is to
improve people's health and the sustainability of society and the
planet. The Foundation's mission is to progress research and
innovation in the prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic and
infectious diseases as well as to advance knowledge and solutions
to support a green transformation of society.
www.novonordiskfonden.dk/en
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SOURCE Novo Nordisk Foundation