Characterising Human Milk Oligosaccharides in Breast Milk and their Degradation by Bifidobacterium species

该项目与ThermoFisher Scientific的工业合作伙伴合作，将结合现代分子微生物学技术，包括厌氧培养、蛋白质生物化学和碳水化合物结构分析，对双歧杆菌菌株的人乳（HMO）低聚糖进行全面分析，并对母乳样品进行HMO分析。该学生将利用纽卡斯尔大学新安装的最先进的设施，通过离子色谱-质谱（IC-MS）对碳水化合物进行表征。该项目将包括与IC-MS技术的全球领导者ThermoFisher Scientific合作，开发IC-MS表征HMO的方法和新技术。坏死性小肠结肠炎（NEC）是一种与早产儿相关的肠道疾病，也是一种死亡原因。最近的研究已经确定了人类母乳之间的联系，特别是母乳低聚糖（HMOs）和NEC的风险。hmo是婴儿肠道微生物组的驱动因素，支持益生菌的生长，益生菌与健康的肠道和较低的NEC发病率有关。对人类母乳和婴儿粪便样本的分析已经确定了与健康早产儿相关的特定HMOs和双歧杆菌菌株，并且在NEC婴儿中丰度较低。这个项目的目的是…鉴定和表征从健康早产儿粪便中分离的双歧杆菌菌株的HMO降解装置。2. 用离子色谱-质谱分析人类母乳样品中的HMOs作为NEC的预测因子。学生将接受一系列实验方法的培训，包括但不限于厌氧微生物学、分子生物学、酶学、质谱分析。这将与通过序列分析、系统发育和结构建模进行蛋白质分析的计算方法相结合。学生还将接受离子色谱-质谱法以及数据分析和解释方面的培训。该项目旨在培养一名现代多学科科学家，能够胜任微生物生化学家所需的一系列计算和实验技术。

This project in collaboration with industrial partners at ThermoFisher Scientific will combine modern molecular microbiology techniques including anaerobic culturing, with protein biochemistry and carbohydrate structural analysis for a complete analysis of human milk (HMO) oligosaccharides degrading apparatus of Bifidobacterium strains and HMO profiling in breast milk samples. The student will utilise state of the art facilities newly installed at Newcastle University for the characterisation of carbohydrates by Ion chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (IC-MS). The project will include an industrial placement with ThermoFisher Scientific , world leaders in IC-MS technology, to develop methods and new technologies for HMO characterisation by IC-MS. Necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) is intestinal disease associated with preterm infants and a cause of death. Recent research has identified links between human breast milk more specifically human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) and the risk of developing NEC. HMOs are a driver of the infant gut microbiome and support the growth of probiotic bacteria which are associated with a healthy gut and lower incidence of NEC. Analysis of human breast milk and infant stool samples have identified specific HMOs and Bifidobacterium strains that are associated with healthy preterm infants and are in lower abundance in infants who develop NEC. This project aims to 1. Identify and characterise the HMO degrading apparatus in Bifidobacterium strains isolated from healthy preterm infant stools. 2. Using Ion chromatography- Mass spectrometry profile the HMOs in human breast milk samples as a predictor of NEC.The student will be trained in a range of experimental methods including but not limited to anaerobic microbiology, molecular biology, enzymology, mass-spectrometry analysis. This will be combined with computational methods for protein analysis through sequence analysis, phylogenetics and structural modelling. The student will also be trained in ion-chromatography-mass spectrometry and the analysis and interpretation of the data. This studentship aims to train a modern multi-disciplinary scientist who is competent in a range of computational and experimental techniques required for a microbial biochemist.