Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

Latest Gastrointestinal Health News and Research

GW-led consortium receives $2.2 million from FDA for Biocompute Object Specification Project

A consortium led by the George Washington University (GW) has been refunded for their BioCompute Object Specification Project, thanks to a $2.2 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

4 Dec 2019

Drops containing a specific probiotic strain can reduce colic in infants

Probiotics--or "good bacteria"--have been used to treat infant colic with varying success. In a new trial published in the journal Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, investigators have shown that drops containing a particular probiotic strain (Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12) reduced the duration of daily crying by more than 50% in 80% of the 40 infants who received the probiotic once daily for 28 days.

4 Dec 2019

New study could help prevent fatal infections in babies

Premature infants born before 28-30 weeks of life are at high risk for many complications, among which the chances of dying from an infection starting in the intestine are very great. A new study published in the journal Nature Medicine reports that such infections are very much more likely if something interferes with the normal microbial accumulation in the gut. Adding certain bacterial strains protects against such infections, on the other hand.

3 Dec 2019

Eating whole fruit could reduce blood pressure for both men and women

University of Delaware researchers have some good news and some bad news that could help you in those critical, decisive moments.

3 Dec 2019

New human colon-on-a-chip enables in vitro study of mucus physiology

We have a mutualistic but complicated relationship with the collection of microbes in our gut known as the intestinal microbiome.

3 Dec 2019

New model for late-onset sepsis explores potential treatments for neonatal infection

Extremely premature infants are at risk for life-threatening infections that spread into their bodies from the intestine. Infections after the first three days of life are called late-onset sepsis, or LOS.

3 Dec 2019

Strong beers that contain gut-friendly bacteria may help fight obesity

Drinking a strong type of beer, particularly a Belgian one, can help combat obesity, promote a good night’s sleep, and may help you live longer, a new study found.

2 Dec 2019

People who eat bushmeat may be at risk of contracting life-threatening diseases

People who eat wildebeests, wart hogs and other wild African animals may be at risk for contracting potentially life-threatening diseases, according to an international team of researchers.

2 Dec 2019

Link found between the gut microbiome, host genome, and RA in Japanese population

One of the most astounding discoveries of recent times is just how much influence gut bacteria have on our health and well-being.

2 Dec 2019

Leaky gut and space flight – the mechanism revealed

A new study on the effects of simulated microgravity, the condition that astronauts face in space, interferes with the epithelial barrier of the intestine, and the effect persists even after the astronaut returns to a normal environment. The research is published in the journal Scientific Reports.

28 Nov 2019

Research shows how gut microbes affect stomach flu

A new study shows that gut microbes can modulate the severity of norovirus infection (the stomach flu, or the winter vomiting bug), based on the gut location first affected. Published in the journal Nature Microbiology on November 25, 2019, the study indicates new possibilities to treat norovirus infection.

26 Nov 2019

Study reveals novel pathway to target colorectal cancer

While the emergence of precision medicine and immunotherapy has greatly improved outcomes for patients with colorectal cancer, new approaches are still needed for patients with late-stage disease who do not respond to these therapies.

26 Nov 2019

Space travel can affect intestinal function of astronauts

Bacteria, fungi, and viruses can enter our gut through the food we eat. Fortunately, the epithelial cells that line our intestines serve as a robust barrier to prevent these microorganisms from invading the rest of our bodies.

26 Nov 2019

Key mechanism identified for how antiviral immune responses reprogram liver metabolism

Researchers at the CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences identified a key mechanism for how antiviral immune responses reprogram liver metabolism. Their recent study, which was published in the renowned scientific journal Immunity, investigated the communication between inflammation and liver metabolism during chronic viral infection.

26 Nov 2019

Researchers find new way to protect against disease in MS model

Researchers have found a new and unexpected way of preventing disease in a preclinical model of multiple sclerosis (MS).

26 Nov 2019

Hops compounds may combat metabolic syndrome by changing the gut microbiome

Compounds from hops may combat metabolic syndrome by changing the gut microbiome and altering the metabolism of acids produced in the liver, new research at Oregon State University suggests.

26 Nov 2019

Tips for a gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving is a holiday built around a meal. And the meal is a specific one, with the menu largely set in stone.

26 Nov 2019

Tips for enjoying your holiday parties without feeling the sting of acid reflux

With the holidays approaching, you may have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. However, if you're living with GERD, gastroesophageal reflux disease, you should enjoy those sugar plums in moderation and be sure to manage your GERD triggers.

25 Nov 2019

Gut microbes can tamp down or boost the severity of norovirus infection

The highly contagious norovirus causes diarrhea and vomiting and is notorious for spreading rapidly through densely populated spaces, such as cruise ships, nursing homes, schools and day care centers. Each year, it is responsible for some 200,000 deaths, mostly in the developing world.

25 Nov 2019

Discovery in C. difficile biology opens new window to developing treatments for dangerous infections

A process called sporulation that helps the dangerous bacterium Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) to survive inhospitable conditions and spread is regulated by epigenetics, factors that affect gene expression beyond the DNA genetic code, researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai report.

25 Nov 2019