The MRH supports research across a wide spectrum of microbiome-related topics, all aimed to of devise methods for improving human and animal health by manipulating microbial populations. One of the main aims of the MRH is to provide an open research and knowledge platform for microbiome interested investigators, so as to foster interdisciplinary interactions. The MRH translates new knowledge on human and animal microbiomes in different research areas and provides a research & technology resource which will allow scientists and industries to investigate the microbiome with potential to change the face and future of healthcare.
The MRH aims to deliver innovative research that establishes Italy as a center of excellence in human/animal health, to help the development of industry and to attract multinational companies to Italy to engage in collaborative research programs.
Parma Microbiota
ongoing project
Profiling del microbiota fecale per lo screening preventivo di Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) nella provincia di Parma.
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Expected Outcomes
The objective of this project is to conduct a fecal microbiota profiling of a sample of Parma’s population, which will form the basis for a preventive screening for Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD).
The intestinal bacterial composition data, along with information on the diet and health of 1,000 residents in Parma, including at least 100 individuals with IBD, will make up the “Parma Microbiota” database. This database will be used to evaluate bacterial markers of IBD while excluding the effect of statistical confounding factors (physical and psychological health, ongoing therapies, presence of pets in the household, and nutritional intake).
At the end of the project, the statistical integration of the database will enable a calibrated screening of the entire Parma population. The main advantages of a locally-based database are: i) optimized screening performance by evaluating the impact of the local diet; ii) inclusion in the database of cases related to various non-IBD disorders and diseases, thus providing a foundation for future screening within the specified geographic area.
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The Parma Microbiota Project
The project aims to monitor intestinal microbial markers of IBD within the population of Parma by analyzing the fecal microbiota of an initial group of 1,000 subjects, including at least 100 individuals affected by IBD. The objective is to develop and validate a routine procedure for the early, non-invasive, and easily applicable diagnosis of IBD. Additionally, this project will establish the “Parma Microbiota” database, which will include, for each individual, data on: i) intestinal microbiota composition; ii) dietary and nutritional intake information; iii) clinical health parameters and information on any ongoing disorders or diseases.
The database will consist of anonymized data collected with the participant’s consent and will be made available through a web portal, featuring monthly updated statistics. Characterizing the impact of local diet on the definition of intestinal bacterial composition will thus allow for the optimized use of specific microbial markers of IBD for preventive screening in the municipality of Parma.
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Output
- Enrollment of 1,000 individuals representing the population in the Parma area.
- Collection of a fecal sample, which will be used to determine the composition of the intestinal microbiota through a metagenomic approach known as 16S rRNA gene profiling.
- Supervised completion of the EPIC dietary questionnaire for assessing habitual dietary intake through a validated tool.
- Medical examination of the enrolled individual, clinical history, and supervised completion of a medical questionnaire.
- Supervised completion of questionnaires and non-invasive collection of neurovegetative and neuroendocrine indicators of chronic stress and/or psychological comorbidities.
- Integration of the collected data into an online database accessible for free, with monthly statistic updates.
- Statistical integration of the data and optimization of microbial marker abundance thresholds for preventive IBD screening in the municipality of Parma.
- Identification of individuals at risk for or currently affected by IBD in the Parma area.
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Outcome
The “Parma Microbiota” database will serve as a prototype at the national and European levels in introducing new metagenomic methodologies into local preventive clinical practice and will provide a solid foundation for comprehensive screening of the Parma population aimed at early IBD identification. Establishing a database that integrates microbiological, nutritional, and clinical data from 1,000 individuals within a defined geographic area (the municipality of Parma) is a necessary starting point to enable the effective and optimal use of microbial markers for IBD (and later, for other disorders and diseases), taking into appropriate consideration geographic-specific factors, such as diet.
1.
Introduction
It is widely known (over 1000 publications in PubMed) that changes in the composition of the gut microbiota (such as alterations in the relative abundance of microorganisms like *Faecalibacterium*, *Alistipes*, and *Fusobacterium*) have been associated with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, whose prevalence is significantly increasing (more than 200,000 cases in Italy, according to AUSL).
The identification of these microbial markers, considered increasingly important for the early diagnosis of IBD, can now be achieved through profiling of bacterial communities in fecal samples (fecal microbiota) using innovative molecular approaches known as metagenomics.
However, the profiling data currently available do not take into account important factors, such as diet, cohabitation with pets, and the co-occurrence of chronic stress or mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. These factors should be considered to avoid statistical confounding effects, which have already been highlighted in the literature. Additionally, there is a lack of geographically localized profiling data that could enable the identification of new and specific microbial markers.