Intestinal microbiome in focus: Bielefeld scientists discover new therapies!

Intestinal microbiome in focus: Bielefeld scientists discover new therapies!

On May 12, 2025, the international MATOMIC consortium met at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) at Bielefeld University. The aim of this meeting was to present advances in mathematical modeling to better understand the complex interactions in the gut microbiome and develop targeted approaches to combat obesity. The research group led by Professor Dr. Daniel Merkle has set himself the task of decoding processes in the microbiome in more detail in order to promote personalized therapies.

The initiative, which stands for “Mathematical Modeling for Microbial Community Induced Metabolic Diseases,” brought together participants from Denmark, Germany and Austria. Professor Dr. Merkle heads the Algorithmic Cheminformatics group, which, among other things, develops models to predict chemical reactions in the intestine. Therapeutic approaches such as fecal transplantation, which is considered unstable against obesity, are also being investigated.

Collaboration and research results

The Bielefeld scientists presented progress and cooperative approaches to creating networks with international partners. Institutions that shared their results include the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig and universities in Leipzig and Vienna. Thanks to the close collaboration between theoretical and experimental approaches, the models will be further improved in order to develop individually adapted therapies.

A critical goal is to create therapies based on each patient's specific microbiome data. This research project is also supported by the Danish Novo Nordisk Foundation, which provides significant funding for the study of microbiome interactions.

Microbiome and health

The understanding of the microbiome has changed significantly in recent years. Bacteria were once often associated with dirt, but today humans are viewed as superorganisms, living in symbiosis with trillions of microbes. The human gut is home to an estimated 40 to 100 trillion bacteria, which not only aid in digestion but are also crucial for a healthy immune system. Among other things, these microbes produce vitamins and help regulate inflammation.

A healthy microbiome is linked to various positive health effects, while dysbiosis, i.e. an imbalance, is associated with numerous diseases. Factors such as the Western lifestyle and high consumption of highly processed foods have contributed to a reduction in diversity in the microbiome, which has led to an increase in inflammatory diseases in recent decades.

Therefore, the development of new strategies to stabilize and diversify the microbiome is of central importance. Researchers emphasize that a healthy diet and increased contact with nature can significantly contribute to improving the microbiota.

Research on lung cancer shows a similar need for personalized therapies. These cancers, the most common cause of death from cancer, require differentiated treatment approaches. Personalized therapies based on biomarkers such as PD-L1 and genomic mutations are cornerstones in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which account for approximately 85% of primary diagnoses and are often discovered at a metastatic stage.

Advances in the early detection and treatment of these diseases are closely linked to developments in personalized medicine, which are also important for other areas of disease, such as obesity. These developments are consistent with the goals of the MATOMIC program, which aims to provide individualized medical care in the long term.

The next consortium meeting will take place on May 14, 2024 to evaluate further progress and promote new collaborations.