Biomimetic Gut Model Systems for Development of Targeted Microbial Solutions for Enhancing Warfighter Health and Performance

Abstract

The human gut microbiome plays a vital role in both health and disease states and as a mediator of cognitive and physical performance. Despite major advances in our understanding of the role of gut microbes in host physiology, mechanisms underlying human-microbiome dynamics have yet to be fully elucidated. This knowledge gap represents a major hurdle to the development of targeted gut microbiome solutions influencing human health and performance outcomes. The microbiome as it relates to warfighter health and performance is of interest to the Department of Defense (DoD) with the development of interventions impacting gut microbiome resiliency among its top research priorities. While technological advancements are enabling the development of experimental model systems that facilitate mechanistic insights underpinning human health, disease, and performance, translatability to human outcomes is still questionable. This review discusses some of the drivers influencing the DoD’s interest in the warfighter gut microbiome and describes current in vitro gut model systems supporting direct microbial-host interactions.

An In Vitro Pilot Fermentation Study on the Impact of Chlorella pyrenoidosa on Gut Microbiome Composition and Metabolites in Healthy and Coeliac Subjects

“…Thereafter, a specific test substrate may be tested until a second steady state (SS2) is reached (again based on stable SCFA measurements), which is then compared to the original steady state or baseline. Therefore, the results of intervention at SS2 can be directly compared to that of SS1; in this way the use of a single system can still provide relevant results [ 56 , 57 , 58 ]. Moreover, to reduce the potential antagonistic effects from a pool of several donors, a faecal single inoculum from one donor can be justified as the microbiota of one donor might sense and defense the alien microbiota of a different donor.…”