takeaways from the 2025 GMFH Summit

Slicing-edge analysis and sensible functions of microbiome-based dietary therapies

The satellite tv for pc symposium “Weight loss program, diet, and intestine microbiome” that preceded the 13^th annual GMFH World Summit centered on the position of diet in shaping well being outcomes by impacting the intestine microbiome. Janelle Smith, registered dietitian (RD), up to date how disordered consuming could have an effect on the intestine microbiome via impacting neuroinflammation and intestine permeability, antibodies to urge for food hormones, and metabolism-altering microbes. Whereas introducing meals slowly to attenuate uncomfortable digestive signs and together with numerous dietary sources of prebiotics and resistant starch is vital, Smith acknowledged the significance of addressing the potential antagonistic psychosocial results of controlling weight loss program throughout consuming issues restoration.

Influence of intestine microbes in consuming issues.
Supply: Smith’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Weight loss program is the primary issue driving intestine microbiome composition, however solely partly explains intestine microbiome variations. Nevertheless, out there dietary evaluation instruments designed to be used in analysis (i.e., meals frequency questionnaires, meals report instruments, and 24-hour dietary recall instruments) ignore dietary “darkish matter,” together with vitamins akin to phytochemicals that impression the microbiome however usually are not quantified in meals labels. Abigail Johnson, RD, acknowledged that microbiome diet research ought to acquire details about meals components (e.g., emulsifiers, colours), kind of cooking, probiotic content material of meals, how meals are grown (e.g., natural/standard), meals distinctive to totally different cultural consuming traditions, and the way meals are packaged as all of them are potential confounders explaining genuine microbiome-health relationships. Final, Tamara Freuman, Grasp of Science (MS) diploma, RD, Licensed Dietitian-Nutritionist (CDN), shared sensible methods and insights for healthcare professionals to information sufferers in translating dietary suggestions into sustainable, long-term habits adjustments that assist digestive well being.

Present dietary evaluation instruments designed for analysis ignore the impression of quite a few vitamins and non-nutritive compounds on the microbiome.
Supply: Johnson’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Emulsifiers, fermented meals, prebiotics, and digestive and metabolic well being

Analysis should undertake a techniques strategy centered on microbiome-host interactions in related ecosystems to grasp microbiome impacts higher and leverage microbial capabilities. Karine Clément, MD PhD, full professor of diet at Pitié Salpêtrière hospital and Sorbonne Université in Paris, up to date the crosstalk between microbiome alterations and derived metabolites present in weight problems based mostly on a techniques strategy. New unpublished findings from the Nutriomics research discovered that predicting weight reduction response with GLP1 analogues and bodily train is feasible when stratifying contributors by microbiome gene richness, which opens the potential position of incorporating intestine microbiome data for illness stratification, biomarkers, or add-on remedy.

Weight loss program-driven results on the microbiome could partly clarify the present rise in weight problems and associated metabolic situations. Meals components ubiquitous in trendy diets are within the highlight as a result of their potential involvement within the onset and growth of non-communicable illnesses. Nevertheless, the extent of meals components’ impression varies amongst people. Benoit Chassaing, PhD, from Institut Pasteur, introduced in vitro findings displaying that the sensitivity to dietary emulsifier carboxymethylcellulose of fecal samples could be predicted by particular metagenomic signatures. For example, micro organism together with Adlercreutzia equolifaciens and Frisingicoccus caecimuris correlated positively with intestinal irritation. Additional analysis is required to probe the potential of the fecal microbiome to foretell dietary emulsifier sensitivity within the context of wholesome people and people with gastrointestinal situations. Chassaing additionally introduced the primary scientific trial to point out {that a} low emulsifier weight loss program is a secure and efficient intervention for mild-to-moderately lively Crohn’s illness, lowering scientific signs and fecal calprotectin.

The ADDapt trial confirmed that emulsifier dietary restriction reduces signs and irritation in sufferers with lively CD.
Supply: Chassaing’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Maria Marco, PhD, from the College of California Davis, up to date new findings on the mechanisms of motion of dairy- and vegetable-origin fermented meals which were broadly used as meals staples for hundreds of years. Human research (primarily on fermented dairy) point out that fermented meals can enhance digestive well being. Marco introduced new findings that fermented cabbage can have an effect on intestinal barrier perform, and these results could fluctuate based mostly on fermentation time, the presence of a probiotic inoculant, and selfmade versus business course of methodology.

Fermented meals which were examined in human trials.
Supply: Marco’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Not all prebiotic fibers impression the intestine microbiome and host equally. Andrew Gewirtz, PhD, MD, from Georgia State College, introduced findings in mice displaying that the advantages of fiber-rich meals usually are not recapitulated by supplemental fiber. Prebiotic fibers, akin to inulin, can nourish intestine micro organism and will present advantages much like dietary fiber. Nonetheless, they don’t seem to be with out threat, as inulin-enriched diets induced hepatocellular carcinoma in 10% of mice. Different fibers, akin to psyllium and wheat bran, have proven advantages in mice in restoring the colonic microbiota depleted by a low-fiber weight loss program and lowering the severity of diet-induced weight problems, respectively.

Not all prebiotic fibers work the identical within the intestine microenvironment.
Supply: Gewirtz’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Non-bacterial clues to gastrointestinal and liver illnesses

Though much less studied than micro organism, different key microorganisms are current within the intestine, together with viruses, phages, yeast, and fungi. These microorganisms, which form host physiology and the exercise of the intestine microbes, are the main target of rising analysis and could also be as vital as micro organism. Robert Schooley, MD, PhD, from the College of California, San Diego, coated the position of bacteriophages as a promising strategy to the therapy of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, together with reducing Escherichia coli load which will trigger deadly bloodstream infections in hematological cancer patients and reducing mortality in patients with alcoholic hepatitis, amongst others. These findings are important contemplating that no basically new antibiotics have been found for 20 years. Limitations of phages embrace the slim host vary of phages, unsure predictive worth of in vitro phage susceptibility testing, the acid lability of most phages requiring methods to mitigate inactivation by gastric acid, growth of phage resistance throughout remedy, main data gaps associated to phage pharmacology, and growth of adaptive immune responses to phages throughout remedy.

Potential niches for therapeutic use of phages.
Supply: Schooley’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Kyla Ost, PhD, from the College of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, centered on virulence elements of yeast and fungi within the intestine that make up 1-2% of the microbiome biomass. Helpful and pathogenic yeast and fungi species are the identical, so it’s not a good suggestion to simplify their classification into “good” and “dangerous”. For example, Candida species dominate and are immunomodulatory. Some Candida species stimulate adaptive and innate immune responses throughout homeostasis that promote metabolic well being and increase immune surveillance. It’s recognized that early-life colonization with Candida dubliniensis promotes metabolic health. In distinction, host extrinsic (e.g., weight loss program, antibiotics) and intrinsic (e.g, age, anti-microbial peptides akin to peptide YY) elements could increase fungal dysbiosis related to decreased bacterial variety and intestinal irritation. Due to this fact, immune interactions regulate Candida morphology (hyphae-associated effectors from Candida exacerbate pathogenic irritation) and virulence issue expression within the intestine (pathogenic potential varies between Candida strains).

Fungi and yeasts usually are not “good” or “dangerous” as a result of their virulence is determined by morphology and virulence elements pushed by host immunity.
Supply: Ost’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Additional-intestinal implications of intestine microbiome manipulation

Weight loss program is an neglected intervention for most cancers prevention and therapy outcomes, shaping the intestine microbiome. Carrie Daniel-MacDougall, PhD, MPH, from the MD Anderson Most cancers Heart on the College of Texas, introduced ongoing and revealed scientific trials on the position of weight loss program in shaping most cancers therapy outcomes via supporting the intestine microbiome. The Be GONE Trial discovered including ½ cup of cooked, canned navy beans to the standard weight loss program over a 2-week ramp-up interval, adopted by 1 cup per day for an extra 6 weeks, was a secure, scalable dietary technique to favorably modulate the intestine microbiome of sufferers with weight problems and a historical past of colorectal most cancers and/or polyps. Unpublished knowledge from the Weight loss program and Immune Results Trial (DIET) and Prebiotic Meals Enriched Weight loss program (PreFED) trials confirmed {that a} excessive fiber (30-50 g/d) versus a management fiber weight loss program (20 g/d) is related to a beneficial immune checkpoint blockade response in sufferers with metastatic melanoma on immunotherapy.

Including navy beans to at least one’s normal weight loss program could improve intestine microbiome and regulate host markers linked to weight problems and colorectal most cancers.
Supply: Daniel-MacDougall’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Jonathan Peled, MD, explored associations with meals and fecal microbiome variety in immunotherapy sufferers. Microbiome variety declines in a regimen-specific trend in adults present process allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT), and a few weight loss program elements are related to the end result of fecal microbiome variety. Unpublished knowledge confirmed that low fecal variety was most strongly related to meals wealthy in easy sugars within the prior two days, and the impact was additive to antibiotics. Of notice, dietary sucrose exacerbated antibiotic-induced Enterococcus growth, an impact that was not defined just by a discount in fiber consumption. These findings recommend that avoiding sugar consumption whereas on antibiotics is a doable technique to mitigate antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Peled shared that rationally designed probiotics (e.g., SER-155, an oral investigational cultivated microbiome therapeutic comprised of 16 bacterial Firmicutes strains) are most likely higher than commercially out there probiotics in bettering microbial (e.g., intestine domination by pathobionts) and well being outcomes (e.g., bloodstream infections) in adults present process allo-HCT.

Investigational microbiome therapeutic SER-155 in adults present process allo-HCT.
Supply: Peled’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Cynthia Sears, MD, on the Johns Hopkins College College of Medication, up to date novel mechanisms for colon carcinogenesis involving the position of polymicrobial bacterial biofilms. What’s fascinating to notice is that Clostridioides difficile toxins have been proven to advertise biofilm invasion deep into colonic crypts in mice and people, highlighting a possible technique to deal with early onset colorectal most cancers. Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) has been linked to inflammatory bowel illness and colon most cancers and it turned out that its pro-inflammatory and tumorigenic capabilities are pushed by the B. fragilis toxin gene it possesses. Whereas not everybody with ETBF on their colon will develop cancerous lesions, preliminary findings recommend that stress and antibiotic use could disrupt the intestine microbiome and make ETBF extra more likely to induce irritation.

Final, Andrea Merchak, PhD, from the College of Florida (USA), gave an outline of the mechanisms of gut-brain communication. Preliminary scientific work suggests the position of bile acid metabolism in a number of sclerosis and intestine irritation in dementia. Nevertheless, there are restricted microbiome-based interventions prepared to make use of for tackling mind irritation and neurodegeneration within the scientific setting.

Therapeutic functions of microbiota-gut-brain axis in neurodegenerative illnesses.
Supply: Merchak’s presentation on the GMFH World Summit 2025.

Customized diet, greatest practices in microbiome analysis, and microbiome-based interventions in susceptible populations

Past plenary classes, 4 parallel workshop classes befell through the GMFH World Summit. They coated tailoring suggestions based mostly on microbiome standing, non-traditional mannequin techniques in microbiome analysis, to fiber or to not fiber in gastrointestinal situations, and probiotic supplementation and the toddler microbiota.

Attendees can entry on-demand content material for the GMFH World Summit 2025 keynote, plenary, and workshops recordings. The 14^th GMFH World Summit will happen in 2026 in Porto (Portugal).