Robert Luallen’s biology lab turns to nematodes to understand complex gut microbiome issues
Using tiny, transparent worms found in a garden a short stroll from their lab, San Diego State University researchers made a discovery that could help improve treatment of gut health issues.
Intestines are an intricate system of twisting and turning tubes covered in a mucus layer, home to thousands of different kinds of bacteria. This makes it difficult to pinpoint specific bacteria and identify which are associated with such gastrointestinal (GI) diseases as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease and even colorectal cancer, which impact tens of millions of Americans.
In a study published in May in the Nature journal npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, Robert Luallen, associate professor of biology, and his team of researchers in the Life Sciences North Luallen Lab worked with French researchers supported by the CNRS and Université de Rennes. They discovered three species of bacteria that anchor onto a mucus layer covering the intestines instead of floating freely before being flushed out during digestion.
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