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The proposed mission addresses the objectives of the Working Group 1, related to  "gut bacteria and polyphenol metabolism". The mission will be coordinated by Dr Marion Leclerc from the Micalis Institute, located 30 km south west of Paris, France, at the INRA Jouy-en-Josas Research Center.

According to initial plans mission should be performed during February and March 2017.

Please find a short description of the proposed project bellow and for all details please contact Dr Marion Leclerc directly (marion.leclerc@inra.fr).

This STSM is available to all eligible candidates from all partner institutions.

The same eligibility and selection criteria will apply as for regular STSMs (information available on the website).

The deadline for applying for this STSM is 25th of November!

For any assistance with the application process for this "special" STSM please contact me, Dr Aleksandra Konic Ristic (sandrakonic@gmail.com)

The short description of the proposal:

Gut bacteria and polyphenol metabolism.

One of the key questions in WP1 is to understand how gut microbiota plays a part in individual response to polyphenols. Bacteria from the human, by metabolizing polyphenol, would drastically change their bioavailability in the human body. Very few mechanisms of microbial polyphenol breakdown by the microbiota have been precisely described, in relation to the metabolites being produced. The specific goal is to decipher which microorganisms from the human might be involved in polyphenol breakdown. 

PhylHom team is part of the Micalis Institute, located 30 km south west of Paris, at the INRA Jouy-en-Josas research center, hosting more than 1000 permanent and non permanent resarchers and technicians.

The PhylHom team will be providing expertise and facilities to perform anaerobic microbiology cultures (anaerobic chamber and Hungate tubes methods) together with a collection of 70 bacterial species from the human gut.

Depending on the scientific question, we will be incubating the polyphenol compound of interest in presence of i) specific human bacterial species or ii) human fecal microbiota. We will then be able to assess

-which bacterial species are able to grow and metabolize the compound

-how individuals intestinal microbial ecosystems, including uncultured bacteria, are modified upon incubation with the polyphenol.

Growth, microbial diversity (and possibly with additional fundings expressed genes) can be monitored. Samples will be taken for metabolomics analysis to be performed in the collaborating team.

Host institute: INRA, Micalis Institute, Jouy-en-Josas

Research scientist in charge at the host institute: Dr M. Leclerc

Duration: around 8 weeks

Timing: February-March 2017