View this in your browser.

IMPACTT Newsletter | February 2021
Dear Dr. reader,
In this Newsletter, you will discover some of the latest contributions and engagements of our microbiome experts, from IMPACTT team members to the Canadian Microbiome Initiative 2 team members and also from international experts!

Share your news and suggestions with us via email at [email protected] or tag us @IMPACTT_Canada. We will spread the News! We wish you all a happy reading!

In case you missed it - Research Ethics 101 webinar on-demand
Slide-Webinar-Research-Ethics-101_11Feb2020
By defining the concepts of research ethics and discussing real-life examples, Dr. Silva, Dr. Kozyrskyj and Dr. Arrieta provide crucial insights on challenges microbiome researchers are facing, how these are currently addresses and discuss how
we could improve and facilitate ethical considerations to enhance research while ensuring research subjects stay protected. A webinar filled with food for thoughts, marking the start of a webinar series on research ethics!

Translational research
The effect of a microbial ecosystem therapeutic (MET-2) on recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection: a phase 1, open-label, single-group trial. Kao D, et al. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. Feb 2021. Principal investigator, Dr. Allan-Vercoe E and colleagues lead a pilot study to test the activity, safety, and tolerability of MET-2, an oral encapsulated formulation of 40 lyophilized bacterial species in patients with recurrent mild to moderate C. difficile infections.
Efficacy of metformin and fermentable fiber combination therapy in adolescents with severe obesity and insulin resistance: study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled trial. Edward C. Deehan, et al. Trials. 2021 Feb 17. This upcoming trial will provide insights into the potential role of the gut microbiome as a target for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of emerging treatments for T2DM prevention. Investigators include Drs. Wine E, Walter J, Irinu D, Madsen K.

New methodologies
Accurate identification and quantification of commensal microbiota bound by host immunoglobulins. Jackson MA, et al. Microbiome. Jan 2021. The authors describe an optimized IgA-Seq protocol combined with a novel scoring method for IgA-Seq datasets to identify and quantify commensal gut microbiota targeted by host immunoglobulins from intestinal samples.
Clinically relevant mutations in core metabolic genes confer antibiotic resistance. Lopatkin AJ, et al. Science. 2021 Feb. The authors describe an optimized culture approach to enrich metabolic-specific pathways and processes to identify genetic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance related to metabolism. Suggests that metabolism alteration might be a new antibiotic resistance mechanism.
Microbiome Search Engine 2: a Platform for Taxonomic and Functional Search of Global Microbiomes on the Whole-Microbiome Level. Jing G, et al. mSystems. Jan 2021. A microbiome database platform for searching query microbiomes in the global metagenome data space based on the taxonomic or functional similarity of a whole microbiome to those in the database.

Microbiome and early-life
Multi-kingdom ecological drivers of microbiota assembly in preterm infants. Rao C, et al. Nature. Feb 2021. Combining ecological models with in vitro and in vivo validation, the authors reveal that within- and between-kingdom microbial interactions shape the predictability of early-life microbiome assembly.

Microbiome, Immune response & Diseases
Bacterial Postbiotics as Promising Tools to Mitigate Cardiometabolic Diseases. Fernando F. Anhê, et al. J Lipid Atheroscler. Jan 2021. Drs. Schertzer JD, Marette A and colleagues discuss key aspects related to the usefulness of bacterial-related molecules strategically positioned as promising treatment strategies for cardiometabolic diseases.

Rapid transcriptional and metabolic adaptation of intestinal microbes to host immune activation. Becattini S, et al. Cell Host Microbe. Feb 2021. The authors demonstrate that intestinal bacteria respond to acute host immune activation by rapidly changing gene transcription and immunomodulatory metabolite production, prior to detectable shifts in community composition.
Fungal-induced glycolysis in macrophages promotes colon cancer by enhancing innate lymphoid cell secretion of IL-22. Zhu Y, et al. EMBO J. Feb 2021. Results establish a C. albicans‐driven crosstalk between macrophages and innate lymphoid cells in the intestine and expand our understanding of how commensal mycobiota regulate host immunity and promote tumorigenesis.

In the News
New bacterium species and genus identified from the human vaginal microbiota!
Keown S. Feb 2021. A rod-shaped, motile anaerobic bacterium, see it by yourself. Original paper.

Impact of inactivity on health: does our microbiota play a role? Bremner J. Dalhousie University News. Feb 2021. Dr. Theou O, Canada Research Chair and Assistant Pr. at Dalhousie University and co-investigators notably Beiko R and LangilleM receive part of the $3.34m CIHR funding to understand the health impacts of extended periods of inactivity.
Explore the role of immune responses, metabolism, gut microbiomes and environments on the symptoms and responses to treatment among people with IBD. Ivachon. University of British Columbia News. Feb 2021. Dr. Carolina Tropini, Assistant Pr. at UBC is one of the 10 new Allen Distinguished Investigators, sharing US$1.5M in funding to pursue projects in health, disease and technology centred on the emerging field of immunometabolism.

Call for papers
ACSPublications - Antibiotic Alternatives Special Issue - Submission deadline March 31, 2021
Cell Press Pattern - Precision Medecine

Events to come
CANADIAN DIGESTIVE DISEASES WEEK - March 2021
MICROBIOTA-GUT-BRAIN AXIS 3rd Ed. - May 2021
HAVING IMPACTT: Advancing Microbiome Research - June 2021
Stay informed by registering to our list for updates, we promise only updates!

More news from our network of experts, here.
twitter 
Tag us @IMPACTT_Canada
We will spread the News!
IMPACTT_logo1
CIHR_Leaf_portrait_logo-web copy
Newsletter - IMPACTT Microbiome Research Core
Unsubscribe | Manage subscription