This Master’s thesis investigates amino acid auxotrophies in the human gut microbiome in health and disease, focusing particularly on their role in chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs), especially inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Drawing on large, multi-cohort datasets from diverse global populations, the study aims to shed light on how lifestyle-driven ecological changes influence microbial metabolic capacities, particularly the emergence and distribution of amino acid auxotrophies.

Approach

We aim to investigate how microbial taxa contributing to amino acid auxotrophies vary across industrialised and non-industrialised populations, and whether specific biosynthetic pathways are consistently lost in association with chronic disease states.

Analysis & Validation

Finally, this project will explore how these microbial metabolic dependencies influence the outcomes of microbiome-targeted therapies, offering potential insights into their relevance for precision medicine treatment strategies in CIDs.