Andreia Pimenta wins two grants to study the link between human gut microbiota and disease
Oeiras, 19 November 2024
Andreia I. Pimenta, a young researcher at the Bacterial Energy Metabolism Lab at ITQB NOVA, has been awarded two research grants to study a bacteria from the human gut, Bilophila wadsworthia, and its link to disease.
The grant from the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organization (ECCO) entitled "Inhibition of the Gut Pathobiont Bilophila wadsworthia Metabolism, Targeting the Production of Toxic and Inflammatory Sulfide", in the value of 80,000€, seeks to develop new strategies to modulate the activity of this member of the human gut microbiota. The research focuses on mitigating the production of pathogenic sulfide, a compound strongly linked to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and colorectal cancer. The project is expected to identify potential therapeutic agents, specifically targeting the harmful effects of pathogenic inflammatory sulfide production by Bilophila. If successful, the research could significantly improve the treatment of IBD, providing new pathways for prevention and enhancing the quality of life for patients, helping to alleviate the burden on healthcare systems. “The selection of this project by ECCO is particularly rewarding, since it recognises the impact that it may bring to the lives of those who suffer from IBD”, emphasises Andreia Pimenta, the project principal investigator.
Andreia Pimenta was recently also awarded with the FCT exploratory project, PATHOGUT (50,000€), which focuses on understanding the mechanisms of interaction between B. wadsworthia and the host. This interdisciplinary project combines expertise in host-cell interactions with in-depth knowledge of this type of bacteria, investigating both in vitro and in vivo infection models. The project will provide critical insights into the pathogenic factors used by B. wadsworthia to induce inflammation and reveal how the bacterium adapts physiologically and metabolically during infection. Uncovering these molecular processes will be critical to develop more precise therapeutics to inhibit the harmful effects of B. wadsworthia. Thus, the two projects complement each other, opening the door to develop more effective treatments for IBD.
The head of the Bacterial Energy Metabolism Lab, Inês Cardoso Pereira commented: “I am very pleased with Andreia’s success in winning these two projects. It not only reflects the quality of the projects, but also of the preliminary work she has developed in this area. This funding will be very important to strengthen this new line of research, helping also to promote new collaborations with strategic partners in the area”.
