How do gut bacteria strains boost our immune system?

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Gut bacteria are major players of human health and disease. Numerous studies have shown correlations between the gut microbiota composition and an ever growing list of human diseases. However the molecular mechanisms underpinning the interaction of gut bacteria with the host remain ill-defined, limiting meaningful interventions to restore microbial balance. The objectives of the proposed PhD studentship project are to determine the impact of bacterial adhesins on the host immune response of Lactobacillus reuteri strains in the mammalian gastrointestinal tract. It is expected that the results from this PhD project will pinpoint molecular determinants important for retention and immunomodulatory properties of L. reuteri in the gut. This knowledge is key to the design and/or selection of probiotic strains with the required specificities.